(a) 
There is hereby created a municipal court for the city and such municipal court shall have jurisdiction to the fullest extent allowed by law. The municipal court shall have no designated term of court but shall hear cases and matters filed in said court at least one day or part thereof each month, at such times as may be necessary for an expedient disposition of such cases and matters. Currently, the court shall convene the second Thursday of every month and trials shall be scheduled at least one day per month, currently the second Thursday of the month.
(b) 
The municipal court is responsible for the judicial enforcement of all class C misdemeanor laws, including parking tickets, established by state law and city ordinance. Enforcement includes conducting bench and jury trials, hearings and arraignments, issuing arrest warrants, capias pro fines, subpoenas, summonses and notices, preparing appeals documents, collecting fines and fees and reporting collections to the city and state.
(c) 
All cases coming before the municipal court shall be tried and disposed of in open court. Court shall commence promptly at 6:00 p.m. on designated court dates.
(d) 
Except on court dates, the municipal court offices shall be open for business from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. unless notice is otherwise provided to the public of closure events such as holidays.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 1, adopted 6/13/05)
(a) 
The office of municipal judge is hereby created. The presiding municipal court judge shall be appointed by the city council. Compensation for such office shall be set by the city council.
(b) 
The city council may appoint one or more alternate municipal judges to sit for the presiding judge when the presiding judge is temporarily unable to act for any reason, whether due to absence or disability. The city council shall set the compensation for the alternate municipal judge.
(c) 
Any alternate municipal judge appointed pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may be assigned to serve as the magistrate, with the duties prescribed by the laws of the state, particularly the Code of Criminal Procedure.
(d) 
The presiding municipal court judge and any alternate judge are required to keep abreast of state law and local ordinances, including state-mandated fees. Although a recognized function of judicial discretion, the presiding municipal court judge and any alternate judge should endeavor to enforce the law consistently and within suggested state guidelines.
(e) 
The city council desires uniformity and consistency in the implementation of judicial policy in accordance with state law and local ordinances. Therefore, the city council requires the implementation of a manual entitled “Municipal Court Policies and Procedures” (hereinafter “manual”) to be drafted and submitted to the city council for adoption within 60 days of the date of the taking of office by the presiding municipal court judge.
(f) 
The judge shall draft judicial policies and procedures for insertion into the manual, which address the judicial functions of the municipal court. The judicial policies and procedures shall include hearing and trial procedures and written standing orders for matters such as dismissals, installment payments, deferred disposition and continuances. A draft of these policies and procedures shall be made available to the court clerk and chief of police for review and comment with regard to any proposed procedures. The judicial policies and procedures, including standing orders, shall be signed by the presiding municipal court judge and each alternate judge appointed by the city council. Any changes to these policies and procedures must be in writing and signed by all judges prior to incorporation into the manual. No policy will be implemented by the clerks of the court prior to the same being in written form and executed by the judges. Court clerks will not enforce oral policies.
(g) 
All judges must adhere to the judicial policies and procedures once implemented, as well as procedures relative to the operation of the court within the limits of statutes and applicable law.
(h) 
All paperwork from court and jail magistrations must be properly completed. The presiding judge shall ensure that no information is omitted on judgments, warrants and probable cause affidavits.
(i) 
A municipal judge, and any alternate judge, shall comply with the financial statement requirements under chapter 572 of the Texas Government Code.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 2, adopted 6/13/05)
(a) 
The city council shall create the position of court clerk. The court clerk will be under the direction and control of the city administrator. The city administrator may hire as many deputy court clerks as deemed necessary for the efficient operation of court procedures.
(b) 
The municipal court clerk shall:
(1) 
Receive, prepare and file all complaints in accordance with state law;
(2) 
Prepare and process all court documents and files consistent with state law and judicial standing orders;
(3) 
Further prepare and maintain accurate dockets;
(4) 
Have custody of all documents and papers relating to the business of the municipal court;
(5) 
Supervise the collection of fines, fees and costs imposed by the municipal court;
(6) 
Maintain complaints for all cases in the municipal court for which a complaint is required by law;
(7) 
Have all other powers and duties assigned to the municipal court clerk by city ordinances, chapter 29 of the Texas Government Code, and the constitution and laws of the state;
(8) 
Be responsible for full and proper accounting of all fines, fees and costs collected and issue receipts to a person who pays a fine, fee or cost with cash money;
(9) 
Preserve the records of the municipal court in accordance with any city records retention schedule and state law;
(10) 
Coordinate and assist with the drafting of the municipal court policies and procedures manual relative to clerk functions and implement proper administration of court procedures consistent with state law; and
(11) 
Prepare and process all state-required reports.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 3, adopted 6/13/05)
(a) 
A person brought before the municipal court and charged with an offense is entitled to be tried by jury of six persons, unless that right is waived in accordance with applicable law.
(b) 
A juror for the municipal court must have the qualifications required of jurors by law and must be a resident of the city.
(c) 
A juror is entitled to receive the compensation for each day and each fraction of a day in attendance on a municipal court jury as provided by law.
(d) 
The municipal court clerk shall establish a fair, impartial, and objective juror selection process.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 4, adopted 6/13/05)
All prosecutions in the municipal court must be conducted by the city attorney or designee, who for this purpose shall be referred to as the city prosecutor.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 5, adopted 6/13/05)
(a) 
There is established a municipal court building security fund to be used for the purpose of providing security services for buildings housing a municipal court in accordance with Texas Code Crim. Proc., art. 102.017. The security fund may only be used to fund items or services as required by state law, as enacted or as it may be amended, including those items as specified in V.T.C.A., Code of Criminal Procedure, article 102.017.
(b) 
A defendant convicted in a trial for a misdemeanor offense in the city municipal court shall pay a security fee in the amount established by city council in accordance with state law as a cost of court. A person shall be considered to be convicted if:
(1) 
A sentence is imposed on such person;
(2) 
The person receives community supervision, including deferred adjudication; or
(3) 
The court defers final disposition of the person’s case.
(c) 
The clerk of the municipal court shall collect the costs and pay such costs to the municipal treasurer or other official of the city who discharges the duties delegated to the municipal treasurer for deposit in a fund to be known as the municipal court building security fund.
(d) 
The municipal court building security fund shall be administered by or under the direction of the city council.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 6, adopted 6/13/05; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
There is established and created a municipal court technology fund in accordance with Vernon’s Ann. C.C.P. art. 102.0172, which shall be used only to finance the purchase of, or to maintain, technological enhancements for the city municipal court, including those items as specified in V.T.C.A., Code of Criminal Procedure, article 102.0172.
(b) 
A defendant who is convicted of a misdemeanor offense in the city municipal court shall pay a technology fee in the amount established by city council in accordance with state law as a cost of court. A person shall be convicted in accordance with this subsection if:
(1) 
A sentence is imposed on such person;
(2) 
The person is placed on community supervision, including deferred adjudication community supervision; or
(3) 
The court defers final disposition of the person’s case.
(c) 
The municipal court clerk shall collect the costs and pay the funds as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section to the municipal treasurer or other official of the city who discharges the duties delegated to the municipal treasurer for deposit in a fund which shall be known as the municipal court technology fund. The technology fee to be added as a court cost shall apply only to convictions for offenses committed on or after November 8, 1999.
(d) 
The municipal court technology fund shall be administered by or under the direction of the city council.
(Ordinance 050613, sec. 7, adopted 6/13/05; Ordinance adopting Code)