Rule 18 - COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM18.1. The presiding judge is chief executive officer, and is assisted by the co-presiding judge. The court manager assists the presiding and co-presiding judges and provides management, systems, and legal assistance to all courts, as well as training to the coordinators.18.2. Court Manager and Coordinator System for Certain Harris County Courts18.2.1. The courts in Harris County that have the same criminal jurisdiction may establish and maintain a court manager and coordinator system.18.2.2. The judges of the courts to which this section applies may appoint a court manager, one or more court coordinators, and other staff as appropriate to the needs of the local jurisdiction. The judges shall by rule designate the qualifications and duties of the court manager and the coordinators to improve criminal justice and expedite the processing of the criminal cases through the county courts. The court manager and the coordinators shall cooperate with state agencies having duties relating to the operation of the courts to promote uniform and efficient justice.18.2.3. The court manager and the coordinators serve at the pleasure of the judges.18.2.4. The court manager and coordinators are entitled to reasonable compensation as set by the judges of the courts served. The court manager's compensation may not exceed sixty (60) percent of the salary paid the judges, unless the commissioners' court by order sets the court manager's compensation at a greater amount. The amount paid the coordinators may not exceed fifty (50) percent of the salary paid the judges.18.2.5. On the judges' orders, the commissioners' court shall fund the court manager and coordinator system from fines collected by the courts served by the court manager and coordinators. If the fines collected are insufficient to provide the total funding for the program, the county shall provide the additional funds needed.18.2.6. This section does not diminish the statutory duties and powers of the sheriff, district attorney, clerk of the court, or any court officer.18.3. Court Coordinators Training/Salary Plan18.3.1. The Harris County Court Coordinators' Career Ladder Salary Plan was created by a joint order of the Judges of the District Courts Trying Criminal cases and the County Criminal Courts at Law of Harris County, Texas. The plan became effective September 1, 1994.18.3.1.1. Effective September 1, 1994, all court coordinators employed by a district court or a county court at law shall be placed in Step 7.0 of the plan and shall be exempt from the bachelor's degree requirement for Step 8.0 through Step 12.0. Court coordinators employed on or after September 1, 1994 must meet the annual requirement to attend sixteen (16) hours of continuing education to be eligible for step increases for Step 8.0 through Step 12.0. All persons employed after September 1, 1994 as a court coordinator in a district or county court at law will be paid in accordance with eligibility requirements for plan steps and incentive pay. As amended November 19, 2002, the steps are reduced from 12 to eight.18.3.1.2. The anniversary date of the plan will be September 1st of each year.18.3.1.3. The Administrative Office of the District Courts and the Office of County Court Management for the county criminal courts at law will certify to the Harris County Budget Office on August 1st of each year the step level and incentive pay eligibility of each court coordinator.18.3.1.4. Continuing education is defined as enrollment in, and completion of, sixteen (16) hours of continuing education in courses offered by the Administrative Office of the District Courts and/or the Office of County Court Management, or through attendance at programs offered by the Texas Center for the Judiciary, the Texas Association for Court Administration, the Justice Management Institute, the National Center for State Courts, the Institute for Court Management, the National Association for Court Management, the National Judicial College, the Criminal Justice Center at Sam Houston State University, or other approved programs. Continuing education hours are required in addition to any other educational requirement of this plan.18.3.1.5. In addition to the basic salary provided in Step 1.0 through 12.0, incentive pay will be awarded to those persons meeting the minimum eligibility requirements. Similar to other benefits, such as longevity pay, incentive pay follows the "person," not the "position," and incentive pay is not considered when cost of living increases are calculated.18.3.1.6. For completion of at least sixty (60) hours of college credit, or for attainment of an associate's degree, a person will be eligible for a step classification of 0.1 and incentive pay of $75.00 per month. To be eligible for plan credit, at least half of the credit hours must be from the following subject areas: English, math, computer science, accounting, management or public administration, human resource or personnel management, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, law, government or political science, or a foreign language. All hours must be granted from an institution recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or must be transferable to one of its recognized institutions. A person who has graduated from the Executive Development Program of the Institute for Court Management of the National Center for State Courts meets the minimum requirement for this incentive pay step.18.3.1.7. A person who is multilingual and has been certified, through written and oral examination, to interpret in the courts is eligible for incentive pay step 0.1.18.3.1.8. For attainment of a bachelor's degree, a person will be eligible for a step classification of 0.2 and incentive pay of $150.00 per month. The major area of study or at least half of the earned credit hours must be from one of the following subject areas: English, math, computer science, accounting, management or public administration, human resource or personnel management, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, law, government or political science, or a foreign language. All hours must be granted from an institution recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or be transferable to one of its recognized institutions.18.3.1.9. For attainment of a master's degree, a person will be eligible for a step classification of 0.3 and incentive pay of $225.00 per month. The major area of study or at least half of the earned credit hours must be from one of the following subject areas: English, math, computer science, accounting, management or public administration, human resource or personnel management, psychology, sociology, criminal justice, law, government or political science, or a foreign language. All hours must be granted from an institution recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or be transferable to one of its recognized institutions.18.4. Staff18.4.1. Court Manager18.4.1.1. The County Criminal Court Manager is chosen by a majority of the county criminal court at law judges and hired by the presiding judge. Although the court manager serves at the pleasure of the courts, the court manager's primary responsibility is to the presiding judge of the county criminal courts at law.18.4.2. Staff Attorney18.4.2.1. The staff attorney for the county criminal courts at law is appointed by the presiding judge and hired by the court manager.L. R. Harris Cnty. Crim. Ct. 18
As amended through 10/22/2021; as amended through 12/9/2022.