Municipal Courts - Texas City Attorneys

Municipal Courts

by Alan Bojorquez

17th Annual Riley Fletcher

Basic Municipal Law Seminar

February 11, 2016

Austin, Texas

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ............................................................................................................................ 4

Article 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 5

¡ì17.01. General. ...................................................................................................................................... 5

¡ì17.02. Public Perception....................................................................................................................... 5

Article 2. Creation of Municipal Courts .................................................................................................. 5

¡ì17.03. Creation by Statute. .................................................................................................................. 5

¡ì17.04. Creation of Municipal Court of Record. ................................................................................. 5

¡ì17.05. No Special Term for Court. ...................................................................................................... 6

¡ì17.06. Court Seal................................................................................................................................... 6

¡ì17.07. Joint Courts. .............................................................................................................................. 6

Article 3. Jurisdiction ................................................................................................................................ 6

¡ì17.08. Exclusive Jurisdiction. .............................................................................................................. 6

¡ì17.09. Concurrent Jurisdiction............................................................................................................ 6

¡ì17.10. Concurrent Jurisdiction of Neighboring Courts. ................................................................... 6

¡ì17.11. Court May Impose Sanction Other than Fine in Some Cases. .............................................. 7

¡ì17.12. Jurisdiction Over Bonds. .......................................................................................................... 7

¡ì17.13. Jurisdiction Over Minors. ........................................................................................................ 7

Article 4. Judge .......................................................................................................................................... 7

¡ì17.14. Selection of Judge. ..................................................................................................................... 7

(a) Home-Rule. ................................................................................................................................... 7

(b) General-Law Municipality. ........................................................................................................... 7

(c) Reference to Judge as Recorder. ................................................................................................... 7

¡ì17.15. Term of Office............................................................................................................................ 7

¡ì17.16. Oaths........................................................................................................................................... 8

¡ì17.17. Report to Judicial Council. ....................................................................................................... 8

¡ì17.18. Recusal or Disqualification. ...................................................................................................... 8

¡ì17.19. Training of Municipal Judges. ................................................................................................. 8

(a) Training for Non-Lawyers. ........................................................................................................... 8

(b) Training for Lawyers. ................................................................................................................... 8

(c) Accreditation of Courses. .............................................................................................................. 9

(d) Reporting Training ........................................................................................................................ 9

(e) Waivers for Training ..................................................................................................................... 9

Article 5. Municipal Court Clerk ............................................................................................................ 9

¡ì17.20. Selection of Clerk....................................................................................................................... 9

¡ì17.21. Term of Clerk. ........................................................................................................................... 9

¡ì17.22. Duties of Clerk. .......................................................................................................................... 9

¡ì17.23. Court Reporter. ......................................................................................................................... 9

Article 6. Complaint ................................................................................................................................ 10

¡ì17.24. Proceedings Commenced by Complaint................................................................................ 10

¡ì17.25. Requisites of Complaint. ......................................................................................................... 10

¡ì17.26. Objections Must be Timely. .................................................................................................... 11

¡ì17.27. Citizen Complaints. ................................................................................................................. 11

¡ì17.28. Statute of Limitations. ............................................................................................................. 11

¡ì17.29. Exceptions to Requirement for Complaint. .......................................................................... 11

Article 7. Procedural Issues .................................................................................................................... 12

¡ì17.30. Criminal Docket. ..................................................................................................................... 12

¡ì17.31. Service of Process. ................................................................................................................... 12

¡ì17.32. Bail. ........................................................................................................................................... 12

(a) Definition of Bail. ....................................................................................................................... 12

Municipal Courts

17th Annual Riley Fletcher Seminar

Page 2 of 20

? Bojorquez Law Firm, PC

February 11, 2016

(b) Bail Bonds................................................................................................................................... 12

¡ì17.33. Prosecutions. ............................................................................................................................ 13

¡ì17.34. Trials......................................................................................................................................... 13

¡ì17.35. Representation of Defendant. ................................................................................................. 13

¡ì17.36. Evidence. .................................................................................................................................. 13

¡ì17.37. Role of Jury. ............................................................................................................................. 13

¡ì17.38. Plea of Guilty or Nolo Contendere. ........................................................................................ 14

(a) In Person. .................................................................................................................................... 14

(b) By Mail. ...................................................................................................................................... 14

(c) Court Appearance May Be Avoided. .......................................................................................... 14

(d) Notice of Fine and Bond. ............................................................................................................ 14

¡ì17.39. Judgment and Confinement. .................................................................................................. 14

(a) Judgments and Sentences. ........................................................................................................... 14

(b) Confinement. ............................................................................................................................... 14

¡ì17.40. Appeals. .................................................................................................................................... 15

(a) Appeal to County Court. ............................................................................................................. 15

(b) Notice of Appeal. ........................................................................................................................ 15

(c) Record. ........................................................................................................................................ 15

(d) Disposition on Appeal................................................................................................................. 15

(e) Fines Go to Municipality ............................................................................................................ 15

(f) Courts of Appeals. ...................................................................................................................... 15

¡ì17.41. Court Costs and Financial Records. ...................................................................................... 15

(a) Clerk Responsible for Funds. ...................................................................................................... 15

(b) Municipal Court Costs. ............................................................................................................... 15

(c) Municipal Court Technology Fund. ............................................................................................ 16

(d) Municipal Court Building Security Fund.................................................................................... 16

(e) State Court Costs. ........................................................................................................................ 16

(f) Shared Fees. ................................................................................................................................ 17

¡ì17.42. Fines. ......................................................................................................................................... 17

¡ì17.43. Control of Money Collected by Court. .................................................................................. 17

(a) Assistance with Court Fees. ........................................................................................................ 17

(b) Internal Procedures. .................................................................................................................... 17

¡ì17.44. Payment by Credit Card......................................................................................................... 17

(a) Authorizing Credit Payment ....................................................................................................... 17

(b) Processing Fee. ........................................................................................................................... 17

(c) Service Charge for Collection. .................................................................................................... 18

(d) Collection of Credit Cards. ......................................................................................................... 18

¡ì17.45. Deferred Disposition................................................................................................................ 18

(a) Option for Deferred Disposition. ................................................................................................ 18

(b) Dismissal of Charge. ................................................................................................................... 18

(c) Option for Deferred Disposition of Traffic Offense. .................................................................. 18

(d) Dismissal of Traffic Charge. ....................................................................................................... 19

(e) Installments or Community Service. ........................................................................................... 19

(f) Failure to Complete. ................................................................................................................... 19

¡ì17.46. Ordinances May Not Conflict with State Constitution or Statutes..................................... 20

(a) Constitutional Preemption........................................................................................................... 20

(b) Statutory Preemption. ................................................................................................................. 20

(c) Culpable Mental State. ................................................................................................................ 20

¡ì17.47. No Quotas for Traffic Citations. ............................................................................................ 20

¡ì17.48. Arrest Warrants Issued by Municipal Court. ...................................................................... 20

Municipal Courts

17th Annual Riley Fletcher Seminar

Page 3 of 20

? Bojorquez Law Firm, PC

February 11, 2016

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan Bojorquez, Principal

Bojorquez Law Firm, P.C. (Austin, Texas)

Alan represents cities across the state as City Attorney or Special Counsel. Before going into

private practice, he was a staff attorney for the Texas Municipal League. Alan graduated from

Texas Tech University with his Bachelor of Arts in English, Master of Public Administration,

and Doctor of Jurisprudence. He is on the Board of Directors of the Texas City Attorneys

Association, and is Texas Chairperson for the International Municipal Lawyers Association.

Alan is the 2015 Chairperson of the University of Texas School of Law¡¯s annual Land Use

Planning Conference. He authors the TEXAS MUNICIPAL LAW & PROCEDURE MANUAL (6th Ed.).

November 20, 2014

Municipal Courts

17th Annual Riley Fletcher Seminar

Page 4 of 20

? Bojorquez Law Firm, PC

February 11, 2016

NOTE: This paper is an excerpt from the Texas Municipal Law and Procedure Manual (6 th Ed.), by Alan

Bojorquez, published by the Texas Municipal Clerks Association. The complete text is available at



Article 1. Introduction

¡ì17.01. General.

Municipal courts may not be what most people think of first when considering the judicial system, but it is

more likely that the average person will come into contact with a municipal court than the other types.

Municipal court is often thought of as traffic court, and traffic tickets are probably the most common type

of offense prosecuted in municipal court. However, as explained below, municipal courts have a broad

range of authority, and are a vital resource for preserving the public health, safety and welfare, as well as a

community¡¯s quality of life.

¡ì17.02. Public Perception.

In many municipalities, the municipal court is often overlooked as a separate, distinct branch of government

that operates wholly independent ¨C separate and apart from the rest of the municipal government. To the

contrary, an efficient and effective municipal court is best seen as a vital part of the larger municipal

organization. A healthy, functioning court contributes to the missions of other departments, including (but

not limited to) Code Enforcement, Police Department, and Planning and Development. A professional,

ethical municipal court fosters public confidence in a municipality, and reflects well on the entity, as a

whole.

Article 2. Creation of Municipal Courts

¡ì17.03. Creation by Statute.

A municipal court is created by law in each municipality in the State of Texas. Tex. Gov¡¯t Code ¡ì29.002.

Special legislation contained in Texas Government Code, Chapter 30 creates municipal courts of record in

a number of municipalities. If you are dealing with one of these municipalities, read the provisions of Texas

Government Code, Chapter 30 applicable to the particular municipality. A municipal court is created in

each municipality with exclusive original jurisdiction within the territorial limits of the municipality. The

municipal court is sometimes referred to in statutes as a ¡°corporation court.¡± Tex. Gov¡¯t Code ¡ì29.002¡ì29.003.

¡ì17.04. Creation of Municipal Court of Record.

A municipal court of record may be created by a special statute enacted by the Legislature or by an

ordinance adopted by a city council. A court of record results in additional expenses but it also may provide

an opportunity to solve the problem of cases being appealed from the municipal court and then being

dismissed wholesale by the prosecutors in the county attorney's office or the district attorney's office.

?Caution: There is no requirement that a municipal judge be an attorney if the municipal court is not a

¡°court of record¡±. Tex. Gov't Code ¡ì 29.004 (2012). Like many justices of the peace, non-lawyers can

serve on the bench of a regular municipal court. However, if the municipal court is a ¡°court of record¡± the

municipal judge must be a licensed attorney with at least 2 years of experience in practicing Texas law.

Tex. Gov't Code ¡ì30.00006 (2012).

Municipal Courts

17th Annual Riley Fletcher Seminar

Page 5 of 20

? Bojorquez Law Firm, PC

February 11, 2016

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download