Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code - CIV PRAC & REM § 31.004. Effect of Adjudication in Lower Trial Court

(a) A judgment or a determination of fact or law in a proceeding in a lower trial court is not res judicata and is not a basis for estoppel by judgment in a proceeding in a district court, except that a judgment rendered in a lower trial court is binding on the parties thereto as to recovery or denial of recovery.

(b) This section does not apply to a judgment in probate, guardianship, mental health, or other matter in which a lower trial court has exclusive subject matter jurisdiction on a basis other than the amount in controversy.

(c) For the purposes of this section, a “lower trial court” is a small claims court, a justice of the peace court, a county court, or a statutory county court.