(a) 
There is hereby created a municipal court of record in and for the city, to be designated as the city’s municipal court no. 1. Any reference hereinafter to the “court” or “municipal court” shall be understood to mean the municipal court of record of the city. The court shall possess all such powers and duties as now or hereafter may be prescribed by the laws of the state or of this code relative to municipal courts.
(b) 
The court shall commence operating as a court of record on January 1, 2014. Cases disposed of before that date shall be governed by the existing court rules and procedures. A case shall be deemed “disposed of” if a judge has entered a finding of guilty or the defendant has entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere.
(c) 
All cases filed in the court prior to January 1, 2014, but not disposed of by January 1, 2014, shall be tried in the court of record.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)
(a) 
Jurisdiction of the court shall be to the fullest extent provided by law for municipal courts including those provided for in chapters 29 and 30 of the Texas Government Code, as the same may be amended from time to time, city charter and ordinances of the city, and the laws of this state.
(b) 
The court shall have jurisdiction for all appeals as provided by state law or by ordinance.
(c) 
The court has concurrent jurisdiction with any justice court in criminal cases that arise within the territorial limits of the city and are punishable by fine only.
(d) 
The court has civil jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing municipal ordinances enacted under subchapter A, chapter 214, Local Government Code, or subchapter E, chapter 683, Transportation Code, as the same may be amended.
(e) 
The court has concurrent jurisdiction with a district court or a county court at law for the purpose of enforcing health and safety and nuisance abatement ordinances within the city’s territorial limits and property owned by the city located in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction under subchapter B, chapter 54, Local Government Code.
(f) 
The court has authority to issue:
(1) 
Search warrants for the purpose of investigating a health and safety or nuisance abatement ordinance violation; and
(2) 
Seizure warrants for the purpose of securing, removing, or demolishing the offending property and removing the debris from the premises.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)
A person appointed as the presiding and associate judge of the municipal court shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of this state and county, a licensed attorney in good standing and shall have two or more years of experience in the practice of law in the state. The compensation of such judge of the municipal court shall be set from time to time by the city council.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)
All prosecutions, practices and procedures in the municipal court shall be governed by and conducted in the manner provided by the Code of Criminal Procedure and other applicable statutes of the state which govern prosecutions, practice and procedure in justice courts of the state, insofar as same are applicable.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)
Court costs or fees are hereby authorized to be imposed and collected in accordance with the provisions of applicable law.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)
The fee for preparation of the clerk’s record is set at $25.00 and the defendant shall pay the $25.00 fee for the preparation of the clerk’s record. If the case is reversed upon appeal, the fee shall be refunded to the defendant. The preparation fee does not include the fee for an actual transcription of the proceedings. Except where indigence of appellant is established pursuant to the laws of this state, the appellant shall pay the fees for an actual transcription of the proceeding and for the appellate record.
(Ordinance 2013-52 adopted 12/10/13)