There is hereby created and constituted a municipal court for
the city, with full jurisdiction as provided for in V.T.C.A., Government
Code, ch. 29. The municipal court for the city shall meet and hold
regular sessions to hear and determine all cases arising before it,
such sessions to be held and called by the municipal judge.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(A); 1993
Code, sec. 8.501)
The municipal court shall be presided over by the municipal
court judge appointed by the city council for a term of office of
two years. Said municipal court judge shall be compensated from the
city general fund in an amount set by the city council in their discretion.
The city council may appoint another qualified person as municipal
judge within ninety-one days of termination of the two-year term of
office, but failure to so appoint causes the incumbent judge to receive
another two-year term of office. The municipal court judge shall be
the presiding magistrate of the municipal court and shall have all
of the powers and authority given to him by the laws of this state.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(B), ch. 8, sec. 4; 1993 Code, sec. 8.502; Ordinance
597-09 adopted 4/20/09)
(a) The
city council desires to create the office of municipal court clerk,
and the municipal court clerk shall be selected and appointed by the
city council and his or her tenure shall be at the discretion of the
city council. The clerk shall keep the minutes of the proceedings
of said court, issue all process, and generally perform all the duties
of the clerk of a court as prescribed by law of a county clerk insofar
as the same is applicable.
(b) The
position of municipal court clerk is created.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(C); 1993
Code, sec. 8.503; Ordinance 384-96 adopted 5/21/96)
The municipal court of the city shall meet and hold sessions
as necessary in the council chambers of the city and at any other
times deemed appropriate and needful by the municipal court judge.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(D); 1993
Code, sec. 8.504)
The clerk shall be available to receive fines for violations
of the city ordinances and the laws of the state and to perform other
duties incident to the operation of a municipal court at the city
hall on each and every Tuesday and Thursday except legal holidays
from 12 noon until 2:00 p.m.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(E); 1993
Code, sec. 8.505)
The county jail is hereby designated as the official city jail.
(1986 Code, ch. 1, sec. 5(F); 1993
Code, sec. 8.506)
(a) A
municipal court technology fund is created as a separate fund of the
city. It shall be maintained as a separate account of the city and
shall be administered under the direction of the governing body of
the city.
(b) The
judge of the municipal court of the city shall require a defendant
convicted of a misdemeanor offense as defined by article 102.0172(b)
Tex. Code Crim. Proc., as amended (Acts 76th Leg., Reg. Session, Senate
Bill 601) to pay a fee of $4.00 as a cost of court. The municipal
court clerk shall collect the costs and pay the funds to the municipal
treasurer on a prompt basis, but at least monthly.
(c) A
municipal treasurer or other designated city official shall deposit
the funds to an account in the city designated as the “municipal
court technology fund.” The fund is to be administered by the
governing body of the city and may be used only for purposes as provided
by law.
(Ordinance 447-99 adopted 10/19/99)
In accordance with section 103.0031 of the Texas Code of Criminal
Procedure, there is hereby imposed an additional fee of thirty percent
(30%) on all debts and accounts receivable, i.e.: fines, fees, court
costs, restitution, and other debts that are more than sixty (60)
days past due and have been referred to a private firm (Perdue) for
collection.
Editor’s note–Ordinance 862-22 did not specifically amend the code. Inclusion of the ordinance as section
7.02.002 was at the discretion of the editor.
(Ordinance 862-22 adopted 8/9/22)