Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 29.014. COURT SECURITY COMMITTEE. (a) The presiding or municipal judge, as applicable, shall establish a court security committee composed of: (1) the presiding or municipal judge, or the judge's designee; (2) a representative of the law enforcement agency or other entity th…

Sec. 29.015. LOCATION FOR COURT PROCEEDINGS AND TERMS AND SESSIONS OF COURT FOLLOWING CERTAIN DISASTERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if a disaster, as defined by Section 418.004, precludes a municipal court from conducting its proceedings at the location assigned for the p…

Sec. 29.051. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Active judge" means a person who holds office as a district court judge or statutory county court judge. (2) "Presiding judge" means the presiding judge of a municipal court, including a municipal court of record. (3) "Regional pres…

Sec. 29.052. MOTION FOR RECUSAL OR DISQUALIFICATION. (a) A party in a hearing or trial in a municipal court, including a municipal court of record, may file with the clerk of the court a motion stating grounds for the recusal or disqualification of the municipal judge. The ground…

Sec. 29.053. NOTICE. A party filing a motion for recusal or disqualification under this subchapter shall serve on all other parties or their counsel: (1) copies of the motion; and (2) notice that the movant expects the motion to be presented to the judge three days after the fili…

Sec. 29.054. STATEMENT OPPOSING OR CONCURRING WITH MOTION. A party may file with the clerk of the court a statement opposing or concurring with a motion for recusal or disqualification at any time before the motion is heard. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1184 (H.B. 347…

Sec. 29.055. PROCEDURE FOLLOWING FILING OF MOTION; RECUSAL OR DISQUALIFICATION WITHOUT MOTION. (a) Before further proceedings in a case in which a motion for the recusal or disqualification of a municipal judge has been filed, the judge shall: (1) recuse or disqualify himself or …

Sec. 29.056. HEARING ON MOTION. (a) A regional presiding judge who receives a request for the assignment of a judge to hear a motion to recuse or disqualify shall: (1) immediately set a hearing before the regional presiding judge, an active judge, or a judge on the list of judges…

Sec. 29.057. PROCEDURE FOLLOWING GRANTING OF MOTION. (a) If a motion for recusal or disqualification is granted after a hearing is conducted as provided by Section 29.056, the judge who heard the motion shall enter an order of recusal or disqualification, and: (1) if the judge wh…

Sec. 29.058. APPEAL. (a) After a municipal court of record has rendered a final judgment in a case, a party may appeal an order that denies a motion for recusal or disqualification as an abuse of the court's discretion. (b) A party may not appeal an order that grants a motion for…

Sec. 29.059. CONTEMPT. If a party files a motion to recuse or disqualify under this subchapter and it is determined by the judge hearing the motion, at the hearing and on motion of the opposing party, that the motion to recuse or disqualify is brought solely for the purpose of de…

Sec. 29.060. COMPENSATION. (a) An active judge who is assigned to hear a motion to recuse or disqualify a municipal judge under this subchapter is not entitled to additional compensation other than travel expenses. A judge assigned to hear a motion to recuse or disqualify who is …

Sec. 29.101. MUNICIPALITY OF MORE THAN 250,000. (a) A municipality with a population of more than 250,000 may by ordinance establish two municipal courts. With the confirmation of the governing body of the municipality, the mayor may appoint two or more judges for the courts and …

Sec. 29.102. MUNICIPALITY OF 130,001 TO 285,000. (a) An incorporated municipality with a population of 130,001 to 285,000 by ordinance may establish up to four additional municipal courts. The judge of each additional court must meet the same qualifications and be selected in the…

Sec. 29.103. MUNICIPAL COURTS IN EL PASO. (a) The City of El Paso by ordinance may establish additional municipal courts as needed. The judge of each additional court must meet the same qualifications and be selected in the same manner as provided in the city charter for the judg…

Sec. 29.104. MUNICIPAL COURT PROCEEDINGS OUTSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS. The municipal court of a municipality with a population of 3,500 or less may conduct its proceedings within the corporate limits of a contiguous incorporated municipality. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, ef…

Sec. 29.105. MUNICIPAL COURT PROCEEDINGS IN MUNICIPALITY PARTICIPATING IN POLICE DEPARTMENT CONTRACT. A municipality that contracts with one or more municipalities for the operation of a joint police department may conduct its municipal court proceedings within the municipal limi…

Sec. 30.00001. SHORT TITLE; APPLICATION. (a) This chapter may be cited as the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act. (b) This subchapter applies to: (1) each municipality listed in this chapter; and (2) each other municipality in which the governing body of the municipality has …

Sec. 30.00002. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Appellate court" means: (A) the county criminal court, the county criminal court of appeals, or the municipal court of appeals; or (B) the county court at law if there is no county criminal court, county criminal court of appea…

Sec. 30.00003. CREATION OF MUNICIPAL COURTS OF RECORD. (a) The governing body may by ordinance create a municipal court of record if the governing body determines that the creation of the court is necessary to provide a more efficient disposition of the cases arising in the munic…

Sec. 30.00004. ABOLITION OF COURT. If the governing body of the city finds that a municipal court of record is unnecessary, the governing body shall by ordinance declare the office of the municipal judge vacant at the end of the term for which the judge was last selected. Any cas…

Sec. 30.00005. JURISDICTION. (a) A municipal court of record has the jurisdiction provided by general law for municipal courts. (b) The court has jurisdiction over criminal cases arising under ordinances authorized by Sections 215.072, 217.042, 341.903, and 551.002, Local Governm…

Sec. 30.00006. JUDGE. (a) A municipal court of record is presided over by one or more municipal judges. (b) The governing body shall by ordinance appoint its municipal judges. (c) A municipal judge must: (1) be a resident of this state; (2) be a citizen of the United States; (3) …

Sec. 30.00007. PRESIDING JUDGE. (a) If there is more than one municipal judge in the municipality, the governing body of the municipality shall appoint one of the judges as the presiding judge. (b) The presiding judge shall: (1) maintain a central docket for cases filed within th…

Sec. 30.00008. VACANCIES: TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT. (a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of municipal judge of a court of record, the governing body shall by ordinance or charter provide for the appointment of a qualified person to fill the office for the remainder of the unexpired…

Sec. 30.000085. REMOVAL OF JUDGE. A municipal judge of a general law municipality may be removed from office at any time for the reasons stated and by the procedure provided for the removal of members of a municipal governing body in Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Local Government Cod…

Sec. 30.00009. CLERK; OTHER PERSONNEL. (a) The governing body shall by ordinance provide for the appointment of a clerk of the municipal courts of record. The municipal clerk shall keep the records of the municipal courts of record, issue process, and generally perform the duties…

Sec. 30.00010. COURT REPORTER. (a) The municipality shall provide a court reporter to preserve a record in cases tried before a municipal court of record. The court reporter must meet the qualifications provided by law for official court reporters. The reporter shall be compensat…

Sec. 30.00011. PROSECUTIONS. All prosecutions in municipal courts of record shall be conducted as provided by Article 45A.005, Code of Criminal Procedure. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Renumbered from Government Code Sec. 30.490 by Acts 1997,…

Sec. 30.00012. COURT FACILITIES. The governing body shall provide courtrooms, jury rooms, offices, office furniture, libraries, law books, and other facilities and supplies that the governing body determines are necessary for the proper operation of the municipal courts of record…

Sec. 30.000123. LOCATION OF COURT PROCEEDINGS AND TERMS AND SESSIONS OF COURT FOLLOWING CERTAIN DISASTERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if a disaster, as defined by Section 418.004, precludes a municipal court of record from conducting its proceedings at the location assign…

Sec. 30.000125. SEAL. (a) The governing body shall provide each municipal court of record with a seal. (b) The seal's use must substantially conform to Article 45A.052, Code of Criminal Procedure. The seal must include the phrase "Municipal Court of/in __________, Texas." Added b…

Sec. 30.000126. COMPLAINT; PLEADING. Complaints and pleadings must substantially conform to the relevant provisions of Chapters 27 and 45A, Code of Criminal Procedure. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 691, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. …

Sec. 30.00013. JURY. (a) Ordinances, rules, and procedures concerning a trial by a jury, including the summoning of jurors, must substantially conform to Chapter 45A, Code of Criminal Procedure. (b) The presiding judge, the municipal court clerk, or the court administrator, as de…

Sec. 30.00014. APPEAL. (a) A defendant has the right of appeal from a judgment or conviction in a municipal court of record. The state has the right to appeal as provided by Article 44.01, Code of Criminal Procedure. The county criminal courts or county criminal courts of appeal …

Sec. 30.00015. APPEAL BOND. (a) If the defendant is not in custody, the defendant may not take an appeal until the defendant files an appeal bond with the municipal court of record. The bond must be approved by the court and must be filed not later than the 10th day after the dat…

Sec. 30.00016. RECORD ON APPEAL. The record on appeal must substantially conform to the provisions relating to the preparation of a record on appeal in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. …

Sec. 30.00017. CLERK'S RECORD. The clerk's record must substantially conform to the provisions relating to the preparation of a clerk's record in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 3…

Sec. 30.00018. BILLS OF EXCEPTION. Bills of exception must substantially conform to the provisions relating to the preparation of bills of exception in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. …

Sec. 30.00019. REPORTER'S RECORD. (a) A reporter's record included in the record on appeal must substantially conform to the provisions relating to the preparation of a reporter's record in the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure and the Code of Criminal Procedure. (b) The appella…

Sec. 30.00020. TRANSFER OF RECORD. (a) Not later than the 60th day after the date on which the notice of appeal is given or filed, the parties must file with the municipal clerk: (1) the reporter's record; (2) a written description of material to be included in the clerk's record…

Sec. 30.00021. BRIEF ON APPEAL. (a) An appellant's brief on appeal from a municipal court of record must present points of error in the manner required by law for a brief on appeal to the court of appeals. (b) The appellant must file the brief with the appellate court clerk not l…

Sec. 30.00022. NEW TRIAL. The trial court shall decide from the briefs of the parties whether the appellant should be permitted to withdraw the notice of appeal and be granted a new trial by the court. The court may grant a new trial at any time before the record is filed with th…

Sec. 30.00023. COURT RULES. (a) Except as modified by this subchapter, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure govern the trial of cases before the municipal courts of record. The courts may make and enforce all rules of practice and procedure ne…

Sec. 30.00024. DISPOSITION ON APPEAL. (a) According to the law and the nature of the case, the appellate court may: (1) affirm the judgment of the municipal court of record; (2) reverse and remand for a new trial; (3) reverse and dismiss the case; or (4) reform and correct the ju…

Sec. 30.00025. CERTIFICATE OF APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS. (a) When the judgment of the appellate court becomes final, the clerk of that court shall certify the proceedings and the judgment and shall mail the certificate to the municipal clerk. The municipal clerk shall file the certif…