Bill Text: TX SB1514 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the creation of municipal courts of record in the city of Mesquite.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-22 - Referred to Jurisprudence [SB1514 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB1514-Introduced.html
  82R5359 YDB-F
 
  By: Deuell S.B. No. 1514
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of municipal courts of record in the city
  of Mesquite.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 30, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter YY to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER YY. MESQUITE
         Sec. 30.01891.  APPLICATION; DEFINITIONS. (a) This
  subchapter applies to the city of Mesquite.
         (b)  In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Appellate courts" means the county courts at law
  of Dallas County that have criminal appellate jurisdiction.
               (2)  "Municipal court administrator" means the clerk of
  the municipal courts of record.
         Sec. 30.01892.  JUDGE. Sections 30.00007(b)(1), (2), (3),
  and (5) do not apply to this subchapter.
         Sec. 30.01893.  COURT RULES. The presiding judge shall
  adopt rules not inconsistent with this subchapter or other law for
  the municipal courts of record to provide efficiency, uniformity,
  and fairness in the conduct of the business of the courts. The
  rules may:
               (1)  address courtroom decorum and attire;
               (2)  address court protocol;
               (3)  govern the hearing of pleas, motions for
  continuance, motions to withdraw and for substitution, and pretrial
  motions;
               (4)  establish procedures related to a defendant's
  failure to appear;
               (5)  establish procedures related to a defendant's
  indigency or inability to pay fines; and
               (6)  address warrant procedures.
         Sec. 30.01894.  MUNICIPAL COURT ADMINISTRATOR; OTHER
  PERSONNEL. (a) The city manager shall appoint a municipal court
  administrator to serve as the clerk of the municipal courts of
  record.
         (b)  The municipal court administrator shall:
               (1)  perform, as applicable, the duties prescribed by
  law for the county clerk of a county court at law;
               (2)  maintain central docket records for all cases
  filed in the municipal courts of record;
               (3)  maintain an index of all municipal courts of
  record judgments in the same manner as county clerks are required by
  law to prepare for criminal cases arising in county courts; and
               (4)  request the jurors needed for cases that are set
  for trial by jury.
         (c)  The municipal court administrator may hire, direct,
  supervise, and remove personnel authorized in the city's annual
  budget for the clerk's office in accordance with the city's general
  government policies and procedures manual and subject to approval
  by the city manager.
         (d)  Sections 30.00009(c) and (d) do not apply to this
  subchapter.
         Sec. 30.01895.  COURT REPORTER. The municipal court
  administrator shall appoint the court reporter under Section
  30.00010.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2012.
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