Texas Code of Criminal Procedure - Article 4.14. Jurisdiction Of Municipal Court

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Art. 4.14. [62] [108] [98] JURISDICTION OF MUNICIPAL 
COURT.  (a) A municipal court, including a municipal court of 
record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the 
territorial limits of the municipality in all criminal cases that:
	(1)  arise under the ordinances of the municipality;  and                      
	(2)  are punishable by a fine not to exceed:                                   
	(A)  $2,000 in all cases arising under municipal ordinances 
that govern fire safety, zoning, or public health and sanitation, 
including dumping of refuse;  or
	(B)  $500 in all other cases arising under a municipal 
ordinance.            
	(b)  The municipal court shall have concurrent jurisdiction 
with the justice court of a precinct in which the municipality is 
located in all criminal cases arising under state law that:
	(1)  arise within the territorial limits of the municipality 
and are punishable by fine only, as defined in Subsection (c) of 
this article;  or
	(2)  arise under Chapter 106, Alcoholic Beverage Code, and do 
not include confinement as an authorized sanction.
	(c)  In this article, an offense which is punishable by "fine 
only" is defined as an offense that is punishable by fine and such 
sanctions, if any, as authorized by statute not consisting of 
confinement in jail or imprisonment.
	(d)  The fact that a conviction in a municipal court has as a 
consequence the imposition of a penalty or sanction by an agency or 
entity other than the court, such as a denial, suspension, or 
revocation of a privilege, does not affect the original 
jurisdiction of the municipal court.
	(e)  The municipal court has jurisdiction in the forfeiture 
and final judgment of all bail bonds and personal bonds taken in 
criminal cases of which the court has jurisdiction.

Acts 1965, 59th Leg., vol. 2, p. 317, ch. 722, eff. Jan. 1, 1966.  
Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 3840, ch. 601, Sec. 3, eff. 
Sept. 1, 1983;  Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 329, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 
1985;  Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 641, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 680, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 
1995, 74th Leg., ch. 449, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1997, 
75th Leg., ch. 533, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1997, 75th 
Leg., ch. 1013, Sec. 39, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Last modified: August 10, 2007