Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas is in Williamson County, in central Texas' Hill Country. Georgetown is the county seat for Williamson County, which is located approximately 35 miles north of Austin on Interstate 35 and State Highway 29. Established in 1848, Georgetown has over 180 homes and commercial buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Downtown Georgetown, with the historic Williamson County Courthouse as the centerpiece, features a number of beautifully restored Victorian era commercial establishments.
In 2009, an estimated 45,005 people lived in Georgetown (U.S. Census). Sun City Texas, an age-restricted planned community comprised primarily of retirees, constitutes a significant part of the population of Georgetown.
Approximately 11,000 persons, with an average age of 65, live in Sun City Texas. Georgetown is known as a premier retirement destination. The year-round warm central Texas climate, the cultural resources of both Georgetown and nearby Austin, excellent medical care, and the widespread availability of planned adult communities have all contributed to the large number of retirees currently living in Georgetown.
As the county seat, Williamson County Government is Georgetown's largest employer per Invest in Georgetown. Other major employers include the Georgetown Independent School District, St. David’s Georgetown Hospital, Airborn, Inc., the City of Georgetown, Southwestern, and Caring Home Health.
St. David’s Georgetown Hospital offers comprehensive healthcare services to Georgetown residents. A large variety of clinics, urgent care centers, nursing homes, and medical practices also serve Georgetown.
Georgetown, Texas is known as the “Red Poppy Capital of Texas.” Georgetown is dotted with the spring-blooming flowers, which are strategically planted throughout the city. Each April, Georgetown hosts the Red Poppy Festival, an event that draws up to 30,000 visitors annually.
Georgetown boasts a number of attractions for everyone from the students at Southwestern University to the retirees in Sun City. The San Gabriel River bisects Georgetown, providing residents numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation with its several parks and bicycle and hiking trails. Discovered in 1963, the Inner Space Cavern is the most popular tourist attraction in Georgetown. Tours are available at one of the best-preserved caves in Texas, and one of the few places where remains of prehistoric animals were unearthed.
District courts are the primary trial courts in Texas as state trial courts of general jurisdiction. The Texas Constitution also provides for a county court in each of Texas' 254 counties. Each county in Texas is divided according to population into at least one and not more than eight justice precincts.
In Williamson County, all five district courts: 26th District Court, 277th District Court, 368th District Court, 395th District Court, and 425th District Court, are located in the Justice Center in Georgetown.
Justice courts generally have exclusive jurisdiction of civil matters, including personal injury lawsuits, only when the amount in controversy does not exceed $200. Generally, the county courts have concurrent jurisdiction with justice courts in civil cases where the matter in controversy exceeds $200 but does not exceed $10,000 and concurrent jurisdiction with the district courts in civil cases where the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $5,000. The district courts have jurisdiction in civil matters with a minimum monetary limit but no maximum limit. The fourteen Texas Courts of Appeals handles most of Texas ‘civil appeals from the district and county-level courts, while the Texas Supreme Court has statewide, final appellate jurisdiction in most civil cases.
The Guide to Texas Legislative Information provides brief definitions of terms associated with the legislative process to help you understand the terms you may hear in court.
