§ 20-20. Duties and authority.

(a)

The presiding municipal judge shall have all powers and duties assigned by the city charter, city ordinances, V.T.C.A., Texas Government Code, Chapter 29 and Chapter 30, and other applicable state law. In addition to the judicial and magisterial duties granted by state law, the presiding municipal judge shall be responsible for the following administrative duties:

(1)

Formulating local judicial rules of practice and procedure, including prescribing such rules and procedures, not inconsistent with the law of the state and the ordinances of the city, as are necessary for the orderly processing and adjudication of cases in the municipal courts;

(2)

Assigning workload to an associate judge in the presiding municipal court judge's absence as required;

(3)

Performing other administrative duties as may be appropriate, within the limits of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the city charter, city ordinances or applicable state law.

(b)

The presiding municipal court judge is also a magistrate for and has all authority of the judicial and magisterial duties conferred on him or her by state law.

(c)

The presiding municipal court judge shall take judicial notice of state law, the ordinances of the city and of the territorial limits of the city.

(d)

The presiding municipal court judge may grant writs of mandamus, attachments and other writs necessary to the enforcement of the jurisdiction of the court and may issue writs of habeas corpus in cases in which the offense charged is within the jurisdiction of the court.

(Ord. No. 2015-O-024 , § 1, 3-16-15)