Duties & Responsibilities

A Justice of the Peace has the authority to:

• Administer oaths
• Conduct preliminary hearings
• Issue warrants for search and arrest
• Death inquest
• Conduct administrative hearings and various other court procedures
• Serve as a trial court judge for Class C misdemeanors and Civil Suits and Small Claims
• Perform marriages

Civil Suits

The Justice Court also functions as a small claims court in which the jurisdiction is $20,000 or less, monetary only, in civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is not in district or county court and the amount in controversy does not exceed $20,000 monetary and/or property, with the exclusion of real estate. This also includes eviction suits.

Precincts

There are five Justice of the Peace precincts:

• Precinct 1-1
  • Judge Mike McAuliffe, P:325-674-1338    jp1-1@taylorcounty.texas.gov 
• Precinct 1-2
  • Judge Shawna Joiner, P:325-674-1267    jp1-2@taylorcounty.texas.gov 
• Precinct 2
  • Judge Robert (Bob) Jones, P:325-928-5114   jp2merkel@taylorcounty.texas.gov 
• Precinct 3
  • Judge Earl Donnell, P:325-554-7893    jp3tuscola@taylorcounty.texas.gov 
• Precinct 4
  • Judge David Doherty, P:325-583-2341   jp4lawn@taylorcounty.texas.gov