Relating to the appointment of a former or retired justice of an appellate court as a visiting judge of a statutory probate court.

This bill (SB 1222) allows retired appellate justices to serve as visiting judges in statutory probate courts when needed. It amends Texas law to permit presiding judges of probate courts to assign retired appellate justices (alongside retired probate judges) to handle cases under specific circumstances, such as when a probate judge is absent, disqualified, or when dockets require additional judicial capacity. The key mechanism expands the pool of eligible temporary judges to include former appellate justices, aiming to improve court efficiency in probate matters. This directly affects probate courts statewide by providing more flexible staffing options during staffing shortages or high caseloads.