Sec. 26.023.  APPOINTMENT FOR ABSENCE OF JUDGE.  (a)  The county judge may appoint a retired judge, former constitutional county judge, or a constitutional county judge from another county as a visiting judge when the county judge is absent from the county or absent because of physical incapacity.
(b)  The visiting judge shall sit in all matters that are docketed on any of the county court's dockets and has the powers of the county judge in relation to the matter involved.
(c)  Without the consent of the commissioners court, visiting judges appointed under this section may not sit for more than 15 working days during a calendar year.
(d)  The order appointing the visiting judge shall be noted in the docket of the court.
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.  Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 782, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1388, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 383 (H.B. 103), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2023.