Sec. 25.00231.  BOND; INSURANCE.  (a)  This section controls over a specific provision for a particular court or county that attempts to create a requirement for a bond or insurance that conflicts with this section.
(b)  Before beginning the duties of office, a judge of a statutory probate court must execute a bond that is:
(1)  payable to the county treasurer or other person performing the duties of county treasurer;
(2)  in the amount of $500,000;
(3)  conditioned on the faithful performance of the duties of the office; and
(4)  approved by the commissioners court.
(c)  In lieu of the bond required by Subsection (b), a county may elect to obtain insurance or to self-insure in the amount required by Subsection (b) against losses caused by the statutory probate court judge's gross negligence in performing the duties of office.
(d)  The commissioners court of a county shall pay the premium for the bond or insurance required by this section out of the general funds of the county.
(e)  This section does not apply to an assigned or visiting judge sitting by assignment in a statutory probate court.
(f)  Notwithstanding Subsection (e), a bond executed under Subsection (b) by the judge elected or appointed to a statutory probate court or an insurance policy obtained under Subsection (c) shall provide the same coverage to a visiting judge assigned to the court or to an associate judge appointed by the court as the bond or insurance policy provides to the judge elected or appointed to the court.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 331 (H.B. 2967), Sec. 1, eff. October 1, 2007.
Amended by: 
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 4.09, eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 521 (S.B. 626), Sec. 67, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 576 (S.B. 615), Sec. 27, eff. September 1, 2021.