Sec. 25.00221.  VISITING JUDGE TO TAKE OATH;  RECORD.  (a)  This section applies to the assignment of a retired or former judge as a visiting judge of a statutory probate court under Section 25.0022.
(b)  A person who is a retired or former judge shall, before accepting an assignment as a visiting judge of a statutory probate court, take the oath of office required by the constitution and file the oath with the presiding judge of the statutory probate courts.
(c)  The presiding judge shall maintain a file containing the oaths of office filed with the judge under Subsection (b).
(d)  A retired or former judge may be assigned as a visiting judge of a statutory probate court only if the judge has filed with the presiding judge an oath of office as required by this section.
(e)  When a retired or former judge is appointed as a visiting judge, the clerk shall enter in the administrative file as a part of the proceedings in the cause a record that gives the visiting judge's name and shows that:
(1)  the judge of the court was disqualified, absent, or disabled to try the cause;
(2)  the visiting judge was appointed;  and
(3)  the oath of office prescribed by law for a retired or former judge who is appointed as a visiting judge was duly administered to the visiting judge and filed with the presiding judge.
(f)  "Administrative file" means a file kept by the court clerk for the court's administrative orders and assigned a cause number.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 960, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 469, Sec. 2, 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.