Ex Parte West

GUITTARD, Chief Justice.

This application for writ of habeas corpus raises the question of whether the new family district courts have jurisdiction to enforce by contempt proceedings the orders of the domestic relations courts which they replace. We hold that they do have such jurisdiction.

The question arises under the Family District Court Act, Tex.Laws 1977, ch. 859 at 2144. This Act “substitutes district courts of general jurisdiction, to be called family district courts, for the existing domestic relations and special juvenile courts.” Id., § 1.02(a). Among the new family district courts…