Commissioners' Court

Commissioners' court, or in Arkansas a quorum court, is the governing body of county government in several US states, including Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. It is similar in function to a board of county commissioners.

The principal functions of a commissioners' or quorum Court are legislative. Although referred to as courts, they generally exercise only limited judicial powers in Texas and Missouri and none in Arkansas. Those judicial powers in Texas and Missouri include the ability to compel testimony under oath, the ability to issue citations for contempt, and the ability to make findings of fact.

In Arkansas the quorum court of a county is the legislative body of that county. The chief executive officer of each county is the county judge, who sits on the quorum court primarily as a moderator but enjoys the power of veto. The county judge is in charge of the county road system, and can fill in for circuit court judges in their absence. Each quorum court is elected from single-member districts, with the number of commissioners (called justices of the peace) depending on the population of the county.

The governing body of each of Texas' 254 counties is the commissioners court (spelled without the apostrophe). In Texas, the court has five members: the county judge and four commissioners.

A sixth official, the county clerk, is an ex officio member of the court.

In most instances, a simple majority of court members is sufficient to take action. Three voting members of the court constitute a quorum. The commissioners court operates similar to the "weak" mayor-council system; the county judge has no veto power over the court and votes along with the other commissioners.

Counties are constitutional subdivisions of the state. As a principal institution of county government, the court's role combines elements of judicial, legislative, and executive functions. Other institutions of county government include independent elected and appointed officials, such as the sheriff, and independent boards, such as the board of judges.

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