County Judge

What a County Judge Is

Depending on the size of the county, the county judge has a wide range of judicial and administrative duties and is the presiding officer of the commissioners court.

What a County Judge Does In Texas

Presiding officer of the commissioners court

  • Represents the county in many administrative functions
  • Serves as budget officer in counties with fewer than 225,000 residents
  • Most have broad judicial duties, such as presiding over misdemeanor criminal and small civil cases, probate matters and appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court
  • Serves as head of emergency management

For more complete information about the responsibilities of a county judge and other county officials, see the 2023 Guide to Texas Laws for County Officials (PDF).

Please note: Some duties performed by officials may vary within individual counties.

Links

County Judge Letter to the Citizens January 22 2026

Recently, there has been increased public discussion regarding the status of bank reconciliations within the Gillespie County Treasurer's office. I want to provide a clear explanation of where the County stands, the timeline of actions taken, and the context necessary to separate fact from speculation. View Letter.