JURISDICTION

"Jurisdiction" includes both the geographic area covered by a court, and the subject matter covered by each court. Geographically, all cases heard by the 219th District Court arise within the borders of Collin County, Texas. However, as a "state" district judge, Judge Becker can issue warrants for anywhere within the boundaries of the State of Texas.

General Civil Litigation

This includes what people typically understand as lawsuits between two or more parties. There is no limit to the amount of money that can be in dispute in these cases. It can include businesses suing other businesses; individuals suing other individuals; or a combination of businesses and individuals.

Family Law

This is a subset of Civil Litigation. It includes petitions for divorce and all suits affecting a parent child relationship (S.A.P.C.R.). These cases typically remain on the court's docket for the longest time. This is because the court maintains exclusive jurisdiction over parental disputes over the children until the youngest child of the marriage turns 18. Although each matter may appear "resolved" for periods of time, parents often find new things to disagree about regarding their children as the children grow older.

Criminal Law

This includes all felony criminal matters. To be a felony in Texas, the crime must be punishable by more than one year of incarceration. These crimes include larger amounts of drugs, large value thefts, and crimes of violence, such as Murder, Robbery, and Sexual Assault.