Texas

Texas, U.S.A., the "Lone Star State," features a captivating combination of southern and southwestern culture.  Once occupied by Spain, France and Mexico, this western frontier state gained independence in 1836 when Hispanic Tejanos joined forces with American and European immigrants and defeated an invading army.  In 1845, after spending a decade as an independent country, Texas joined America’s  Union.

If you’re heading to state court in Texas, you’ll probably go to one of 3 trial courts: the Municipal and Justice of the Peace Courts, which handle all small claims, criminal misdemeanors punishable by fine only, magistrate functions, and civil actions not exceeding $10,000; the County Courts, which handle juvenile matters, probate matters, and jurisdiction in civil actions between $200 and $10,000, and civil matters between $200 and $100,000; or the District Courts, which hold original jurisdiction over civil actions of $200 or $500, and hear matters regarding consented elections, divorce, felony criminal matters, and titles to land.

If you have a personal injury case in Texas, your claim will be heard in civil court.   If you are confused about the terms you hear while in court, you may find this dictionary of common legal terms handy. Once you’ve gone through a trial, you may have the right to appeal your personal injury case to one of the state’s Appeals Courts or the Supreme Court.  Texas has 14 Appeals Court locations, two of which are located in Houston. The Texas Supreme Court is in Austin.

With a land area nearing 270,000 square miles, Texas ranks as the second largest U.S. state.  This larger-than-life state shares its borders with Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico.  Texas lies at the convergence of several climate zones that range from subtropical humid to continental steppe, giving the state wide variations in weather. 

At the time of the 2000 Census, Texas was home to 20,851,820 residents; however, estimates in 2006 indicate an increase of 12.7% to more than 23.5 million residents.  Austin, the TX state capital, accounts for 656,562 of that total.  Other heavily populated cities in TX include Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.

Home to the nation’s largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies, Texas features a burgeoning economic atmosphere.  The diverse base of industry includes sectors of agriculture, biomedical research, petrochemicals and technology.  TX businesses enjoy enviable benefits and incentives that include low business taxes and no state income tax.  Texas also boasts a highly skilled workforce, due in part to varied degrees and technical programs at the state’s colleges and universities.  These include Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, Texas A&M University System, the University of Houston system, and  several campuses of the University of Texas.

Texas lies in a dynamic region where nature sets the ideal stage for recreation via scenic desert terrain, the sand and surf of the Gulf Coast beaches, the majestic mountain peaks, and more than 125 state parks.  Texas communities attract visitors to the area with options that range from cosmopolitan cities such as Dallas and Houston, to more low-key coastal cities such as Galveston.  History buffs have access to sites such as the Alamo, Chamizal National Memorial, Fort Bliss, Fort Sam Houston and the USS Lexington.  Other popular destinations include: Austin, the “Live Music Capital of the World;”  The Galleria;  Johnson Space Center; Texas Motor Speedway; and the TX State Aquarium.