The municipal court has jurisdiction over juvenile cases filed against juvenile/minor offenders under the age of 17 charged with most Class C Misdemeanors with some exceptions. State law requires juveniles, defined as persons under 17 years of age, to appear in person with a parent or legal guardian. All juveniles are required to appear in open court for all proceedings in their cases. The parent and/or legal guardian of a juvenile charged in municipal court must be present in court with the juvenile.
Failure to Appear
Juveniles who fail to appear in court may have an additional charge of failure to appear filed against them. Juveniles who fail to appear or who fail to pay their fine will be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to suspend or deny issuance of a driver's license. Should a juvenile disobey a court order, the court may order DPS to suspend or deny issuance of a driver's license or find the child in contempt and assess a fine not to exceed $500, or refer the child to juvenile court for contempt.