§ Rule 101. Title and Scope
Rule 101. Title and Scope
(a) Title. These rules shall be known and cited as the Texas Rules of Evidence.
(b) Scope. Except as otherwise provided by statute, these rules govern civil and criminal proceedings (including examining trials before magistrates) in all courts of Texas, except small claims courts.
(c) Hierarchical Governance in Criminal Proceedings. Hierarchical governance shall be in the following order: the Constitution of the United States, those federal statutes that control states under the supremacy clause, the Constitution of Texas, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Penal Code, civil statutes, these rules, and the common law. Where possible, inconsistency is to be removed by reasonable construction.
(d) Special Rules of Applicability in Criminal Proceedings.
(1) Rules not applicable in certain proceedings. These rules, except with respect to privileges, do not apply in the following situations:
(A) the determination of questions of fact preliminary to admissibility of evidence when the issue is to be determined by the court under Rule 104;
(B) proceedings before grand juries;
(C) proceedings in an application for habeas corpus in extradition, rendition, or interstate detainer;
(D) a hearing under Code of Criminal Procedure article 46.02, by the court out of the presence of a jury, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of incompetency to require a jury determination of the question of incompetency;
(E) proceedings regarding bail except hearings to deny, revoke or increase bail;
(F) a hearing on justification for pretrial detention not involving bail;
(G) proceedings for the issuance of a search or arrest warrant; or
(H) proceedings in a direct contempt determination.
(2) Applicability of privileges. These rules with respect to privileges apply at all stages of all actions, cases, and proceedings.
(3) Military justice hearings. Evidence in hearings under the Texas Code of Military Justice, TEX. GOV'T CODE § 432.001-432.195, shall be governed by that Code.