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.