By: Harris S.B. No. 551 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation of municipal courts of record in Pantego. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Chapter 30, Government Code, is amended by adding 1-4 Subchapter GG to read as follows: 1-5 SUBCHAPTER GG: PANTEGO 1-6 Sec. 30.2191. APPLICATION. This subchapter applies to the 1-7 town of Pantego. 1-8 Sec. 30.2192. CREATION. (a) The governing body of the town 1-9 may by ordinance create a municipal court of record if it 1-10 determines that the formation of the court is necessary to provide 1-11 a more efficient disposition of cases arising in the town. The 1-12 governing body may by ordinance determine the number of municipal 1-13 courts of record that are required to dispose of the cases and may 1-14 establish as many as are needed. The ordinance establishing the 1-15 courts shall give each court a numerical designation, beginning 1-16 with "Municipal Court of Record No. 1." 1-17 (b) A municipal court of record may not exist concurrently 1-18 with municipal courts that are not courts of record in the town. 1-19 (c) A municipal court of record has no terms and may sit at 1-20 any time for the transaction of the business of the court. 1-21 Sec. 30.2193. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAWS. The general law 1-22 regarding municipal courts, the general law regarding justice 1-23 courts on matters not covered by the law regarding municipal 1-24 courts, and any charter provision or ordinance of the town relating 2-1 to the municipal court apply to a municipal court of record unless 2-2 the law, charter provision, or ordinance is in conflict or 2-3 inconsistent with this subchapter. 2-4 Sec. 30.2194. JUDGE. (a) A municipal court of record is 2-5 presided over by a municipal judge. 2-6 (b) If there is more than one municipal judge in the town, 2-7 the governing body of the town shall appoint one of the judges to 2-8 be the chief judge. 2-9 (c) A municipal judge, including the chief judge, is 2-10 appointed by the governing body of the town for a term of two 2-11 years. 2-12 (d) A municipal judge must be a licensed attorney in good 2-13 standing in this state and must have two or more years of 2-14 experience in the practice of law in this state. The judge must be 2-15 a citizen of the United States and of this state. The judge shall 2-16 devote as much time to the office as it requires. 2-17 (e) If there is more than one municipal court of record in 2-18 the town, the judges may exchange benches and may sit and act for 2-19 each other in any proceeding pending in the courts. An act 2-20 performed by any of the judges is binding on all parties to the 2-21 proceeding. 2-22 (f) A municipal judge is entitled to a salary from the town, 2-23 the amount of which is determined by the governing body of the town 2-24 and may not be diminished during the judge's term of office. The 2-25 salary may not be based directly or indirectly on fines, fees, or 2-26 costs collected by the court. 2-27 (g) A municipal judge may be removed from office by the 3-1 governing body of the town at any time for incompetency, 3-2 misconduct, malfeasance, or disability. 3-3 (h) A municipal judge shall take judicial notice of the town 3-4 ordinances and the corporate limits of the town in a case tried 3-5 before a municipal court of record. A municipal judge may grant 3-6 writs of mandamus, injunction, and attachment and other writs 3-7 necessary to the enforcement of the jurisdiction of the court and 3-8 may issue writs of habeas corpus in cases in which the offense 3-9 charged is within the jurisdiction of the court. 3-10 (i) The governing body of the town shall appoint a qualified 3-11 person to fill a vacancy in the office of municipal judge. 3-12 (j) The governing body may appoint one or more qualified 3-13 persons to be available to serve for a municipal judge who is 3-14 temporarily absent due to illness, family death, or continuing 3-15 legal or judicial education programs or for any other reason. The 3-16 chief judge or the municipal judge if there is no chief judge shall 3-17 select one of the persons appointed by the governing body to serve 3-18 during an absence. An alternate judge while serving has all the 3-19 powers and shall discharge all the duties of a municipal judge. An 3-20 alternate judge must have the same qualifications as a municipal 3-21 judge. 3-22 Sec. 30.2195. CLERK; OTHER PERSONNEL. The city manager of 3-23 the town shall appoint a clerk of the municipal court of record who 3-24 may hire, direct, and remove the personnel authorized in the town's 3-25 annual budget for the clerk's office. The clerk or the clerk's 3-26 deputies shall keep the records of the municipal courts of record, 3-27 issue process, and generally perform the duties for the courts that 4-1 a clerk of the county court exercising criminal jurisdiction is 4-2 required by law to perform for that court. The clerk shall perform 4-3 the duties in accordance with statutes, the town charter, and town 4-4 ordinances. 4-5 Sec. 30.2196. COURT REPORTER. (a) The town shall provide a 4-6 court reporter for the purpose of preserving a record in cases 4-7 tried before the municipal court of record. The clerk of the court 4-8 shall appoint the court reporter, who must meet the qualifications 4-9 provided by law for official court reporters. The reporter shall 4-10 be compensated by the town in the manner determined by the 4-11 governing body of the town. 4-12 (b) The court reporter may use written notes, transcribing 4-13 equipment, video or audio recording equipment, or a combination of 4-14 those methods to record the proceedings of the court. The court 4-15 reporter shall keep the record for the 20-day period beginning the 4-16 date after the last day of the court proceeding, trial, or denial 4-17 of motion for new trial, whichever occurs last. 4-18 (c) The court reporter is not required to record testimony 4-19 in a case unless the judge or one of the parties requests a record. 4-20 A party's request for a record must be in writing and be filed with 4-21 the court before trial. 4-22 (d) The governing body may provide that, in lieu of 4-23 providing a court reporter at trial, proceedings in a municipal 4-24 court of record may be recorded by a good quality electronic 4-25 recording device. If the governing body authorizes the electronic 4-26 recording, the court reporter need not be present at trial to 4-27 certify the statement of facts. The recording shall be kept and 5-1 stored for the 20-day period beginning the day after the last day 5-2 of the proceeding, trial, or denial of motion for new trial, 5-3 whichever occurs last. The proceedings that are appealed shall be 5-4 transcribed from the recording by an official court reporter. 5-5 Sec. 30.2197. PROSECUTIONS BY CITY ATTORNEY. All 5-6 prosecutions in the municipal court of record must be conducted by 5-7 the city attorney or an assistant or deputy city attorney. 5-8 Sec. 30.2198. JURY. (a) A person who is brought before a 5-9 municipal court of record and who is charged with an offense is 5-10 entitled to be tried by a jury of six persons unless that right is 5-11 waived according to law. The jury shall decide all questions of 5-12 fact or credibility of witnesses. The court shall determine all 5-13 matters of law and shall charge the jury on the law. 5-14 (b) A juror who serves in the municipal courts of record 5-15 must meet the qualifications provided by Chapter 62. 5-16 Sec. 30.2199. APPEAL. (a) A defendant has the right of 5-17 appeal from a judgment or conviction in a municipal court of record 5-18 as provided in this subchapter. The county criminal courts of 5-19 Tarrant County have jurisdiction over an appeal. The state has no 5-20 right to an appeal or to a new trial. 5-21 (b) The appellate court shall determine each appeal from a 5-22 municipal court of record conviction on the basis of the errors 5-23 that are set forth in the defendant's motion for new trial and that 5-24 are presented in the transcript and statement of facts prepared 5-25 from the proceedings leading to the conviction. An appeal from the 5-26 municipal court of record may not be by trial de novo. 5-27 (c) To perfect an appeal, the defendant must file with the 6-1 municipal court clerk a written motion for new trial not later than 6-2 the 10th day after the date on which judgment is rendered. The 6-3 motion must set forth the points of error of which the defendant 6-4 complains. The motion or an amended motion may be amended by leave 6-5 of court at any time before action on the motion is taken, but not 6-6 later than the 20th day after the date on which the original or 6-7 amended motion is filed. The court may for good cause extend the 6-8 time for filing or amending but the extension may not exceed 90 6-9 days from the original filing deadline. If the court does not act 6-10 on the motion before the expiration of the 30 days allowed for 6-11 determination of the motion, the original or amended motion is 6-12 overruled by operation of law. 6-13 (d) To perfect an appeal, the defendant must also give 6-14 notice of the appeal. If the defendant requests a hearing on the 6-15 motion for new trial, the defendant may give the notice of appeal 6-16 orally in open court on the overruling of the motion. If there is 6-17 no hearing, the defendant must give written notice of appeal and 6-18 must file the notice with the court not later than the 10th day 6-19 after the date on which the motion is overruled. The court may for 6-20 good cause extend that time period, but the extension may not 6-21 exceed 90 days from the original filing deadline. 6-22 Sec. 30.2200. APPEAL BOND. (a) If the defendant is not in 6-23 custody, the defendant may not take an appeal until the defendant 6-24 files an appeal bond with the municipal court of record. The bond 6-25 must be approved by the court and must be filed not later than the 6-26 10th day after the date on which the motion for new trial is 6-27 overruled. If the defendant is in custody, the defendant shall be 7-1 committed to jail unless the defendant posts the appeal bond. 7-2 (b) The appeal bond must be in the amount of $50 or double 7-3 the amount of the fine and costs adjudged against the defendant, 7-4 whichever is greater. The bond must state that the defendant was 7-5 convicted in the case and has appealed, must be payable to the 7-6 state for the use and benefit of the town, and must be conditioned 7-7 on the defendant's appearance in the court to which the appeal is 7-8 taken. 7-9 Sec. 30.2201. RECORD ON APPEAL. The record on appeal 7-10 consists of a transcript and, if necessary to the appeal, a 7-11 statement of facts. The court reporter shall prepare the record 7-12 from the reporter's record or mechanical or videotape recordings of 7-13 the proceedings. The defendant shall pay for the cost of the 7-14 transcription. If the court finds that the defendant is unable to 7-15 pay or give security for the record on appeal after a hearing in 7-16 response to an affidavit by the defendant, the court shall order 7-17 the reporter to prepare the record without charge to the defendant. 7-18 If the case is reversed on appeal, the court shall promptly refund 7-19 the cost to the defendant. 7-20 Sec. 30.2202. TRANSCRIPT. (a) On the written request of 7-21 the defendant or the defendant's attorney, the municipal court 7-22 clerk shall prepare under the clerk's hand and seal a transcript of 7-23 the municipal court of record proceedings. The transcript must 7-24 include copies of: 7-25 (1) the complaint; 7-26 (2) material docket entries made by the court; 7-27 (3) the jury charge and verdict in a jury trial; 8-1 (4) the judgment; 8-2 (5) the motion for new trial; 8-3 (6) the notice of appeal; 8-4 (7) written motions and pleas; 8-5 (8) written orders of the court; 8-6 (9) any bills of exception filed with the court; 8-7 (10) the appeal bond; and 8-8 (11) exhibits admitted into evidence. 8-9 (b) The clerk may include in the transcript additional 8-10 portions of the proceedings in the court prepared from mechanical 8-11 or videotape recordings. 8-12 Sec. 30.2203. BILLS OF EXCEPTION. Either party may include 8-13 bills of exception in the transcript subject to the applicable 8-14 provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bills of 8-15 exception must be filed with the municipal court clerk not later 8-16 than the 60th day after the date on which the notice of appeal is 8-17 given or filed. 8-18 Sec. 30.2204. STATEMENTS OF FACTS. A statement of facts 8-19 included in the record on appeal must contain: 8-20 (1) a transcript of all or part of the municipal court 8-21 of record proceedings that are shown by the notes of the court 8-22 reporter to have occurred before, during, or after the trial, if 8-23 the transcript is requested by the defendant; 8-24 (2) a brief statement of the facts of the case proven 8-25 at trial as agreed to by the defendant and the prosecuting 8-26 attorney; 8-27 (3) a partial transcript and the agreed statement of 9-1 the facts of the case; or 9-2 (4) a transcript of all or part of the municipal court 9-3 of record proceedings in the case that is prepared from mechanical 9-4 or videotape recordings of the proceedings. 9-5 Sec. 30.2205. COMPLETION, APPROVAL, AND TRANSFER OF RECORD. 9-6 (a) Not later than the 60th day after the date on which the notice 9-7 of appeal is given or filed, the parties must file with the 9-8 municipal court clerk: 9-9 (1) the statement of facts; 9-10 (2) a written description of material to be included 9-11 in the transcript in addition to the required material; and 9-12 (3) any material to be included in the transcript that 9-13 is not in the custody of the clerk. 9-14 (b) On completion of the record, the municipal judge shall 9-15 approve the record in the manner provided for record completion, 9-16 approval, and notification in the court of appeals. 9-17 (c) After the court approves the record, the clerk shall 9-18 promptly send it to the appellate court clerk for filing. The 9-19 appellate court clerk shall notify the defendant and the 9-20 prosecuting attorney that the record has been filed. 9-21 Sec. 30.2206. BRIEF ON APPEAL. (a) A defendant's brief on 9-22 appeal from a municipal court of record must present points of 9-23 error in the manner required by law for a brief on appeal to the 9-24 court of appeals. 9-25 (b) The defendant must file the brief with the appellate 9-26 court clerk not later than the 15th day after the date on which the 9-27 transcript and statement of facts are filed with that clerk. The 10-1 defendant or the defendant's attorney must certify that the brief 10-2 has been properly mailed to the prosecuting attorney. 10-3 (c) The prosecuting attorney must file the appellee's brief 10-4 with the appellate court clerk not later than the 15th day after 10-5 the date on which the defendant's brief is filed. 10-6 (d) On filing, each party shall deliver a copy of the brief 10-7 to the opposing party and to the municipal judge. 10-8 Sec. 30.2207. COURT RULES. (a) Except as modified by this 10-9 subchapter, the Code of Criminal Procedure governs the trial of 10-10 cases before the municipal court of record. The court may make and 10-11 enforce all rules of practice and procedure necessary to expedite 10-12 the trial of cases before the court that are not inconsistent with 10-13 general law. 10-14 (b) The appellate courts may make and enforce all rules of 10-15 practice and procedure that are not inconsistent with general law 10-16 and that are necessary to expedite the dispatch of appeals from the 10-17 municipal court of record. 10-18 Sec. 30.2208. DISPOSITION ON APPEAL. (a) According to law 10-19 and the nature of the case, the appellate court may: 10-20 (1) affirm the judgment of the municipal court of 10-21 record; 10-22 (2) reverse and remand for a new trial; 10-23 (3) reverse and dismiss the case; or 10-24 (4) reform and correct the judgment. 10-25 (b) Unless the matter was made an issue in the trial court 10-26 or it affirmatively appears to the contrary from the transcript or 10-27 the statement of facts, the appellate court shall presume that: 11-1 (1) venue was proven in the trial court; 11-2 (2) the jury, if any, was properly impaneled and 11-3 sworn; 11-4 (3) the defendant was arraigned and pleaded to the 11-5 complaint; and 11-6 (4) the municipal judge certified the charge before it 11-7 was read to the jury. 11-8 (c) In each case decided by the appellate court, the court 11-9 shall deliver a written opinion or order either sustaining or 11-10 overruling each assignment of error presented. The court shall set 11-11 forth the reasons for its decision. The appellate court clerk 11-12 shall mail copies of the decision to the parties and to the 11-13 municipal judge as soon as the decision is rendered. 11-14 Sec. 30.2209. CERTIFICATE OF APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS. When 11-15 the judgment of the appellate court becomes final, the clerk of 11-16 that court shall certify the proceedings and the judgment and shall 11-17 mail the certificate to the municipal court. The court clerk shall 11-18 file the certificate with the papers in the case and note the 11-19 certificate on the case docket. If the municipal court of record 11-20 judgment is affirmed, further action to enforce the judgment is not 11-21 necessary except to: 11-22 (1) forfeit the bond of the defendant; 11-23 (2) issue a writ of capias for the defendant; or 11-24 (3) issue an execution against the defendant's 11-25 property. 11-26 Sec. 30.2210. EFFECT OF ORDER ON NEW TRIAL. If the 11-27 appellate court awards a new trial to the defendant, the case 12-1 stands as if a new trial had been granted by the municipal court of 12-2 record. 12-3 Sec. 30.2211. APPEAL TO COURT OF APPEALS. The defendant has 12-4 the right to appeal to the court of appeals if the fine assessed 12-5 against the defendant exceeds $100 and if the judgment is affirmed 12-6 by the appellate court. The provisions of the Code of Criminal 12-7 Procedure relating to direct appeals from a county or a district 12-8 court to the court of appeals apply to the appeal, except that: 12-9 (1) the record and briefs on appeal in the appellate 12-10 court constitute the record and briefs on appeal to the court of 12-11 appeals unless the rules of the court of criminal appeals provide 12-12 otherwise; and 12-13 (2) the record and briefs shall be filed directly with 12-14 the court of appeals. 12-15 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 12-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 12-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 12-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 12-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 12-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 12-21 passage, and it is so enacted.