Ordinance No. 11,746ORDINANCE NO.11,746
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS,AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES,BAYTOWN,TEXAS,
TO ADD A NEW CHAPTER TO BE NUMBERED AND ENTITLED
CHAPTER 60 "MUNICIPAL COURT'TO ESTABLISH A MUNICIPAL
COURT OF RECORD;PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE;CONTAINING
A SAVINGS CLAUSE;AND PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND
EFFECTIVE DATE THEREOF.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN,
TEXAS:
Section 1:That theCity Council of theCity of Baytown,Texas,hereby findsthatand
determines thatthe creation of thecourt of recordherein established is necessary toprovidea
more efficient disposition of thecasesarisingintheCity of Baytown.
Section 2:That theCode of Ordinances,Baytown,Texas,is hereby amended toadda
new chapter tobe numbered andentitledChapter60 "Municipal Court,"which chapter shallread
as follows:
ARTICLE I.RESERVED
ARTICLE II.MUNICIPAL COURT OF RECORD
DIVISION I.GENERALLY
Sec.60-11.Creation and name.
(a)Thecitycouncilherebycreatesamunicipalcourt of recordtobeknownasthe
"MunicipalCourt of RecordintheCity of Baytown,Texas"inordertoprovideamore
efficientdisposition of casesarisinginthecityandinordertomoreeffectivelyenforce
the ordinances of thecity.
(b)Thecitycouncilherebyadoptsstatelawregardingmunicipalcourts of record,as
amended,andtothe extent thatthisarticleconflictswithstatelaw,statelawshallgovern.
Sec.60-12.Jurisdiction.
(a)The court hasthe jurisdiction provided bygenerallawfor municipal courts.
(b)The court has jurisdiction over criminalcases arising under ordinances authorized by
V.T.C.A.,Local Government Code §§215.072,217.042,341.903 and 401.002.
(c)Thecourthasconcurrentjurisdictionwithanyjusticecourtinanyprecinctinwhichthe
cityis located in criminal casesthatarise within thecityandare punishable onlyby fine.
(d)Thecourthasciviljurisdictionforthepurposeofenforcingordinancesenactedunder
V.T.C.A.,LocalGovernmentCode,ch.214,subch.AorV.T.C.A.,TransportationCode,
ch.683,subch.E.
(e)Thecourthas concurrent jurisdiction withadistrictcourtoracountycourtatlawunder
V.T.C.A.,Local Government Code,ch.54,subch.B within the city's territorial limits and
property owned bythecityinthecity's extraterritorial jurisdiction forthe purpose of
enforcing health andsafetyand nuisance abatement ordinances in accordance with
V.T.C.A.,Local Government Code §30.00005.
(0 The court hasthe authority toissue:
(1)Search warrants forthepurpose of investigating ahealthandsafetyornuisance
abatement ordinance violation;and
(2)Seizurewarrantsforthepurpose of securing,removingordemolishingthe
offendingpropertyandremovingdebrisfromthepremises.
(g)Thecourthasthe authority to establish procedures and local rulesforthe purpose of
promotingthespeedyresolutionof disputes involving theenforcementofthehealthand
safetyandnuisanceabatementordinancesofthecity.
Sec.60-13.Law governing procedures.
Exceptas provided in V.T.C.A.,Government Code,ch.30,as amended,theTexasCode
of Criminal Procedure andtheTexasRules of Appellate Procedure shallgoverncases
proceeding beforethecourt.
Sec.60-14.Seal of the court.
Thecitycouncilshallprovidethecourtwithaseal.Theseal'sappearanceanduseshall
substantiallyconformtoVernon'sAnn.C.C.P.art.45.02.Thesealshallincludethefollowing
phrase:"MunicipalCourt of RecordintheCity of Baytown,Texas."
DIVISION II.MUNICIPAL JUDGE
Sec.60-25.Appointment;duties generally.
Thecourtshallbepresidedoverbyoneormoremunicipal judges,whoshallbe
appointed bythecitycounciltoservefora term oftwo years,commencing February 1st ofevery
even-numbered year.If morethanone judge is appointed,thecity council shall appoint one of
the judges toserveasthe presiding judge.Thepresiding judge shall:
(1)Maintain a central docket for cases filedinthe city over which the court has
jurisdiction;
(2)Provide forthedistribution of casesfromthecentraldockettotheindividual
municipal judges to equalize the distribution of business inthecourt;
(3)Requestthejurorsneededforcasesthataresetfortrialbyjury;
(4)Temporarilyassignjudgestoactforeachotherin proceedings pendinginthe
court if necessaryfortheexpeditiousdisposition of businessinthecourt;and
(5)Supervise and control the operation and clerical functions ofthe administrative
department ofthecourt,including thecourt's personnel.
Sec.60-26.Qualifications.
(a)Anindividualappointedtoserveas municipal judgeshallbe:
(1)A resident of thestate;
(2)Acitizen of theUnitedStates;
(3)Alicensedattorneyingoodstanding;and
(4)Havetwoormore years of experience inthe practice oflawinthestate.
(b)An individual maynotserveas municipal judgeifheis otherwise employed bythe city.
A municipal judgewho accepts other employment withthecity vacates the judicial
office.
Sec.60-27.Filling vacancy in office.
Ifavacancyoccursintheoffice of municipaljudge,thecitycouncilshallappointa
qualified individual,as provided in section 60-26,to fill the office forthe remainder ofthe
unexpired term.Thecity council may appoint oneormore qualified individuals toservefora
municipal judgewhois temporarily absentdueto illness,family death,continuing legal or
judicialeducationprograms,oranyother reason.Thepresidingjudgeorthe municipal judgeif
thereisnopresidingjudgeshallselectoneofthe qualified personsappointedbythecitycouncil
toserveduringtheabsenceofthe municipal judge.The substitute judge,while serving asthe
municipaljudge,shallhaveall of thepowersandshalldischargeall of theduties of the
municipal judge.
DIVISION III.OTHER COURT PERSONNEL
Sec.60-38.Supervision and direction of administrative department.
Theclerkand other courtpersonnelshallperformtheirdutiesunderthedirectionand
control of the presiding judge.
Sec.60-39.Clerk of court.
(a)Appointment;duties generally.Thecityclerkshallappointaqualifiedindividualtoserve
astheclerk of courtforthecourt.Theclerk of courtshallkeeptherecords of thecourt,
issueprocessandgenerallyperformthedutiesthataclerk of acountycourtatlaw
exercisingcriminaljurisdiction performs forthatcourt.Inaddition,theclerkofcourt
shallmaintainanindex of allcourtjudgmentsinthesamemannerascountyclerksare
required bylawto prepare for criminal casesarisingincounty courts.Theclerkofcourt
shall perform hisdutiesunderthe direction and control ofthe presiding judge.
(b)Removal.Theclerk of courtmaybe removed pursuant tothecity's personnel and
administrative regulations manual.
Sec.60-40.Court reporter;duties;compensation.
Thecitymanagershallappointoneormorecourtreporterstopreservearecordincases
triedbeforethecourtinwhichtheproceedingsarenotrecordedbyagoodqualityrecording
device.Thecourtreportermustmeetthequalificationsprovidedbylawforofficialcourt
reporters.Thecourtreportermayuse written notes,transcribing equipment,videooraudio
recordingequipment,oracombination of thosemethodstorecordtheproceedings of thecourt.
Thecourtreportershallkeeptherecordforthe20-dayperiodbeginningthedayafterthelastday
of theproceeding,trialordenial of motionfornewtrial,oruntilanyappealisfinal,whichever
occurslast.The court reporter shallnotberequiredtorecord testimony oranyproceedingina
caseunlessthemunicipaljudgeorone of thepartiesrequestsarecord.Thepartyrequestingthe
services of theofficialcourt reporter shallbearthecost of thoseservices.Whenan electronic
recordingdeviceisbeingusedtorecordtheproceedings,itisnotnecessarytohaveacourt
reporterpresenttorecordtheproceedingsnortocertifythestatement of facts.Thecitymanager
shallsetthe compensation of the court reporter.
Sec.60-41.Recording of court proceedings.
Thecourtreporterorcourtstaffisnotrequiredtorecordtestimonyinanycaseunlessthe
judgeorone of thepartiesrequestsarecordinwriting,andfilestherequestwiththecourtbefore
trial.Allproceedingsbeforethecourt,totheextentrequested,shallberecordedbyuse of agood
qualityelectronicrecordingdevice.Thisshallbetheprimarymethodfortherecording of
proceedingsutilizedbythecourt.Asanalternativetotheelectronicrecordingdevice,
proceedingsshallberecordedbyanofficialcourtreporterappointedbythecitymanager.The
record of the proceedings shallbekeptbytheclerk of court if an electronic recordingdeviceis
used,orthe court reporter incaseswherethecourt reporter records the proceedings,forthe20-
day period beginning theday after thelastday of thecourt proceeding,trialordenial of motion
for new trial,whichever occurs last.If a case is appealed,the proceedings shall be transcribed
fromthe recording bythe city's official courtreporter.
DIVISION IV.APPEALS
Sec.60-52.Appeals generally.
Adefendanthastherighttoappealfroma judgment orconvictioninthecourt,as
provided by V.T.C.A.,Government Code §30.00014,as amended.Thestatehasthe right to
appeal from ajudgmentinthecourtin manner provided forby Vernon's Ann.C.C.P.art.44.01,
as amended.The appropriate countycourtof Harris County,Texas,shallhavejurisdictionof
appeals from the court.All appeals shall be conducted inthe manner provided forby V.T.C.A.,
GovernmentCode,ch.30,asamended.Upontheenactment of thisarticle,allcasesforoffenses
alleged tohavebeen committed onorafter October 2,2011,shall be appealed in accordance
with V.T.C.A.,Government Code,ch.30,as amended.
Sec.60-53.Transcript preparation fee.
Intheevent of anappeal,theappellantshallpayatranscriptpreparationfeeinthe
amount of $25.00.Thetranscriptpreparationfeedoesnotincludethefeeforanactualtranscript
ofthe proceedings.Theclerkshallnotethe payment ofthe fee onthe docket ofthecourt.Ifthe
caseisreversedonappeal,thefeeshallberefundedtotheappellant.Inadditiontothetranscript
preparation fee,thefeeforthe actual transcript ofthe proceedings and statement of facts mustbe
paidbythe appellant,pursuant to V.T.C.A.,Government Code§§30.00014 and 30.00019.
Sec.60-54.-Record.
(a)Conformance tostate rules.Therecordonappealmustsubstantiallyconformtothe
provisionsrelatingtothepreparation of arecordonappealintheTexasRules of
Appellate Procedure andtheTexasCode of Criminal Procedure,as amended.
(b)Transfer.Notlaterthanthe60thdayafterthedateon which thenoticeof appeal is given
orfiled,thepartiesmustfilewiththeclerk of courtthe statement of facts;awritten
description of materialtobeincludedinthetranscriptinadditiontotherequiredmaterial;
andanymaterialtobeincludedinthetranscriptthatisnotinthecustody of theclerk of
court.Uponcompletion of therecord,the municipal judgeshallapprovetherecordinthe
mannerprovidedforrecordcompletion,approvalandnotificationinthecourtofappeals.
Afterthemunicipaljudgeapprovestherecord,theclerk of courtshallpromptlysendthe
recordtothe appellate courtclerkforfiling.V.T.C.A.,Government Code§30.00020,as
amended,chargestheappellatecourtclerkwiththeresponsibility of notifyingthe
defendant andthe prosecuting attorneythattherecordhasbeenfiled.
Sec.60-55.Statement of facts.
The statement of facts must substantially conform tothe provisions relating tothe
preparation of a statement of factsintheTexasRules of Appellate Procedure andtheTexasCode
of CriminalProcedure,asamended.Theappellantshallpayforthe statement of facts.
Sec.60-56.Transcript.
Thetranscriptmust substantially conform tothe provisions relatingtothe preparation of
atranscriptintheTexasRulesofAppellateProcedureandtheTexasCode of Criminal
Procedure,as amended.
Sec.60-57.Bills of exception.
Bills of exceptionmustsubstantiallyconformtotheprovisionsrelatingtothepreparation
of bills of exceptionintheTexasRulesofAppellateProcedureandtheTexasCode of Criminal
Procedure,as amended.
Sec.60-58.Perfecting right to appeal.
(a)Statelaw adopted.Thecitycouncilspecificallyadoptsstatelaw,asamended,relativeto
appeals.
(b)Requirements.Inordertoperfectarighttoappeal,theappellantmustfileawritten
motion fornewtrialwiththeclerk of courtandmustalsogivenotice of theappealtothe
appellee andtothecourt.
(c)Motion fornewtrial.Thewrittenmotionfornewtrialmustbefiledwiththeclerk of
court not later than the tenth day after thedateon which judgment is rendered.The
motionmustsetforththepoints of error of whichthe appellant complains.Themotionor
amended motion maybeamendedwithleave of courtatanytimebeforeactiononthe
motionistaken,butmaynotbeamendedlaterthanthe20thdayafterthedateonwhich
theoriginalor amended motionisfiled.Thecourtmayforgoodcauseextendthetimefor
filingoramending,buttheextensionmaynotexceed90daysfromtheoriginalfiling
deadline.If thecourtdoesnotactonthemotionbeforetheexpiration of the30days
allowedfordetermination of themotion,theoriginaloramendedmotionisoverruledby
operation of law.
(d)Notice of appeal.If the appellant requestsa hearing onthe motion fornewtrial,the
appellant maygivethenotice of appealorallyinopencourtafterthemotionisoverruled.
If thereisnohearing,theappellantmustfilethenoticewiththecourtnotlaterthanthe
tenthdayafterthedateonwhichthemotionisoverruled.Thecourtmayforgoodcause
extend thetime period for providing notice;however,the extension shallnot exceed 90
daysfromtheoriginalfilingdeadline.Ifthe defendant isincustody,theappealis
perfected whenthenotice of appealisgivenasprovidedbyVernon'sAnnC.C.P.art.
44.13,as amended.
Sec.60-59.Appeal bond.
If thedefendantisnotincustody,thedefendantmaynottakeanappealuntilthe
defendantfilesanappealbondwiththecourt.Thebondmustbeapprovedbythecourtandmust
befilednotlaterthanthetenthdayafterthedateonwhichthemotionfornewtrialisoverruled.
The appeal bond must beinthe amount of $100.00 or double the amount ofthe fines and costs
adjudged against the defendant,whichever is greater.The bond must state thatthe defendant was
convicted inthecaseandhas appealed andmustbe conditioned onthe defendant's immediate
and daily personal appearance in the court to which the appeal is taken.If the defendant isin
custody,the defendant shall be committed tojail unless the defendant poststhe appeal bond.
Sec.60-60.Brief.
(a)Generally.Boththe appellant andthe appellee are required tofile briefs withthe
appellate court clerk.Each party,onthe filing ofthe party's briefwiththe appellate court
clerk,shalldeliveracopy of thebrieftotheopposingpartyandtothe municipal judge.
Therecordandthebrief,onappeal,shallbelimitedasfaraspossibletothequestions
reliedonforreversal.Themunicipaljudgeshalldecidefromthebriefs of theparties
whethertheappellantshouldbepermittedtowithdrawthenotice of appealandbe
grantedanewtrialbythecourt.Thecourtmaygrantanewtrialatanytimebeforethe
recordisfiledwiththeappellatecourt.
(b)Appellant's brief.Theappellantmustfileabriefwiththeappellatecourtclerknotlater
thanthe 15th dayafterthedateonwhichthetranscriptandstatement of factsarefiled
withthatclerk.Theappellantorthe appellant's attorneymustcertifythatthebriefhas
been properly mailed tothe appellee.
(c)Appellee'sbrief.The appellee must file its brief withthe appellate clerk notlaterthanthe
15thdayon which the appellant's brief isfiled.
Section 3:All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent with the terms of this
ordinance are hereby repealed;provided,however,that such repeal shall be only tothe extent of
such inconsistency andinall other respects this ordinance shallbe cumulative of other
ordinances regulating and governing the subject matter covered by this ordinance.
Section 4:If any provisions,section,exception,subsection,paragraph,sentence,
clause orphrase of this ordinance orthe application of sametoanypersonorset of
circumstances,shallforanyreasonbeheld unconstitutional,voidorinvalid,such invalidity shall
notaffectthevalidity of the remaining provisions of this ordinance ortheir application toother
personsorsets of circumstancesandtothisendallprovisions of thisordinancearedeclaredtobe
severable.
Section 5:This ordinance shalltake effect fromand after ten(10)days fromits
passage bythe City Council.TheCity Clerk is hereby directed togive notice hereofby causing
the caption ofthis ordinance to be published in the official newspaper oftheCityof Baytown at
leasttwicewithinten (10)days after passage of thisordinance./
'/
INTRODUCED,READandPASSEDbytheaffirmative vdt'e oftheCityCouncil of the
City of Baytown,thisthe 22nu dayof September,2011.
STEPHEN II.DONCARLOS,Major
^t^TICIA-BRYSCH,CitjV Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
ACIO RAMIREZ.SR.,CMAttorney
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