Briefly describe the structure of county government in Texas. Discuss the primary functions and responsibilities of elected county officials. What are some critiques of the current system of county government?

What will be an ideal response?

An ideal response will:
1. Describe the structure of the commissioners court and its role as a policymaking body (not a judicial body).
2. Discuss the role of the county judge on the commissioners court and as a judicial officer.
3. Explain that the Texas Constitution sets up the basic structure of the county government but that these provisions have been modified quite a bit for large urban counties.
4. Discuss the duties of some of the other county government officials, such as the county clerk, tax assessor-collector, district attorney, sheriff, and constable.
5. Explain some of the critiques of county government. For example, it was designed when Texas was rural, but now Texas is mostly urban-yet the basic structure of county government remains relatively unchanged.