Sec. 73.003. ORAL ARGUMENT. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (e), the justices of the court of appeals to which a case is transferred shall hear oral argument, after due notice to the parties or their attorneys, at the place from which the case is originally transferred.

(b) If requested by all parties or their attorneys, the oral argument in a transferred case may be heard in the regular place of the court to which the case is transferred.

(c) If a case is transferred to a court that regularly sits not more than 35 miles from the place the court from which the case was transferred regularly sits, the court, at the discretion of its chief justice and after notice to the parties or their counsel, may hear oral arguments at the place it regularly sits. For purposes of this subsection, the place where a court of appeals regularly sits is that specified in Subchapter C, Chapter 22, and the mileage between the places is that determined by the comptroller under Chapter 660.

(d) The actual and necessary traveling and living expenses of the justices in hearing an oral argument at the place from which the case is transferred shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(e) At the discretion of its chief justice, a court to which a case is transferred may hear oral argument through the use of teleconferencing technology as provided by Section 22.302. The court and the parties or their attorneys may participate in oral argument from any location through the use of teleconferencing technology. The actual and necessary expenses of the court in hearing an oral argument through the use of teleconferencing technology shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated for the transfer of case, as specified in Subsection (d).

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.92(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(106), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 732, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1085, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.