Franklin County Jail Criminal Court Process

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Franklin County

Criminal Court Process for Franklin County Texas

Mount Vernon, a small town on Interstate 30 in Northeast Texas, serves as Franklin County's seat, and the county's courtroom business happens in the Kaufman Street courthouse. A lone justice of the peace and the Mount Vernon city court split the Class C work, the County Judge hears Class A and B cases, and felonies belong to the 8th and 62nd District Courts, which Franklin shares with Hopkins and other nearby counties. The Franklin County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors, while felony cases are handled by the 8th Judicial District Attorney out of Sulphur Springs. Adults taken into custody go to the Sheriff's Franklin County Jail in Mount Vernon.

  • Franklin County Courthouse (county and district courts), 200 N. Kaufman St., Mount Vernon, TX 75457
  • Franklin County District Clerk (felony case files), Mount Vernon, (903) 537-8337
  • Franklin County Clerk (misdemeanor case files), Mount Vernon, (903) 537-8357
  • Franklin County Attorney (misdemeanors), Mount Vernon, (903) 537-2342, ext. 4
  • 8th Judicial District Attorney (felonies), Sulphur Springs office, (903) 885-0641
  • Franklin County Judge (presides over the county court), (903) 537-4252, ext. 6
  • Franklin County Jail (Franklin County Sheriff's Office), South Highway 37, Mount Vernon, TX 75457, (903) 537-4539

Which court hears your case. An I-30 speeding ticket, a public intoxication arrest, a sub-$100 theft or an assault by offensive contact is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine, and it goes to the Franklin County Justice of the Peace or, when a Mount Vernon officer issues the citation inside the city, to Mount Vernon Municipal Court. Franklin sends Class A and B misdemeanors, first DWIs among them, to the Franklin County Court, the County Judge's constitutional court, because the county has never created a county court at law. For a felony, a magistrate gives warnings first; after a grand jury indictment the case belongs to the 8th District Court or the 62nd District Court. Each of those judges travels: the 8th also serves Hopkins, Delta and Rains counties, and the 62nd serves Hopkins, Delta and Lamar, so felony hearings in Mount Vernon happen on scheduled court weeks.

Where pretrial inmates are held. Deputies, Mount Vernon police and state troopers book adults into the Sheriff's jail on South Highway 37. Anyone the magistrate keeps in custody, or who cannot raise the bail, waits there; small East Texas jails sometimes rent beds from a neighboring county when Franklin's fill up. The Sheriff's Office at (903) 537-4539 answers questions about who is in custody, visitation and release.

Local courts in Franklin County (justice of the peace, municipal and county courts)

Only about ten thousand people live in Franklin County, so its local bench is small, and every court below the district level sits in Mount Vernon. The JP takes Class C citations from deputies, constables and DPS troopers, hears small claims and evictions, and acts as a magistrate who warns arrestees and sets bond at the Franklin County Jail. Winnsboro, which lies mostly in Wood County but reaches into Franklin, runs its own municipal court in Winnsboro.

Justice of the peace

  • Franklin County Justice of the Peace (countywide), Franklin County Courthouse, 200 N. Kaufman St., Mount Vernon, TX 75457, (903) 537-2342, ext. 1

Municipal court

  • Mount Vernon Municipal Court, Mount Vernon City Hall, 109 N. Kaufman St., Mount Vernon, TX 75457, (903) 537-3582

County and district courts

  • Franklin County Court (the County Judge's criminal docket and Class C appeals), 200 N. Kaufman St., Mount Vernon, TX 75457, (903) 537-4252; misdemeanor clerk (903) 537-8357
  • 8th and 62nd District Courts (felonies), 200 N. Kaufman St., Mount Vernon, TX 75457; District Clerk (903) 537-8337

Holding a Franklin County Class C citation, you can pay, request deferred disposition or defensive driving if you qualify, or plead not guilty and go to trial in front of the JP, the city judge or a six-person jury. Lose there, and the County Judge can retry the whole case on appeal.

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Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DWI, assault causing bodily injury, criminal trespass)

Jail, magistrate and release

If you are arrested in Franklin County on a Class A or B charge, you will be booked at the Franklin County Jail on Highway 37 and, inside two days (art. 15.17), see a magistrate, normally the county's justice of the peace. Expect to hear the accusation, a warning that you need not talk, and an explanation of your right to a lawyer; say then if you want one appointed. With the statewide public safety report in front of the JP, your bail is set. You can post it in cash, pay a licensed bondsman to write a surety bond, or be released on personal bond, which needs only your signature but is barred by statute for violent charges.

Who represents you

Franklin has no public defender. Its indigent defense plan has the County Judge pick a private lawyer for each qualifying misdemeanor defendant, using Texas Indigent Defense Commission standards. If you bonded out before asking, apply through the County Judge's office at (903) 537-4252.

How the case moves

Your file goes from the arresting agency to the Franklin County Attorney, who decides whether to file a charging document in county court. The County Judge calls criminal cases on scheduled docket days; at your first one you plead, and the County Attorney and your lawyer start working toward a disposition that often comes by the second or third setting. You may insist on a jury: six residents of Franklin County, and they must be unanimous. Still jailed while prosecutors say they are not ready? Article 17.151 entitles you to release on personal bond or a smaller amount once you have waited 15 days on a Class B or 30 on a Class A.

Penalties for typical charges

  • First DWI (Class B): three days minimum, six months maximum, a fine reaching $3,000; the minimum doubles to six days with an open container, and a reading at or over 0.15 converts it to Class A. A conviction in Franklin County court also suspends your license and requires the DWI education course, sometimes with an interlock on your vehicle. Separately, the Department of Public Safety can suspend your license through ALR if you refused or failed testing.
  • Theft: Franklin County grades it by value, a Class C ticket below $100, Class B from $100 to below $750, Class A from $750 to below $2,500.
  • Assault causing bodily injury: a Class A offense; the County Judge can impose up to a year and $4,000. A family violence finding will cost you the right to possess guns and can make a second assault a felony.
  • Criminal trespass: Class B usually, Class A when it involved someone's home or a deadly weapon.

Your case may close with a dismissal, diversion, deferred adjudication, probation, a fine or some jail days, typically two to six months after arrest. A lawyer can tell you whether finishing deferred adjudication would let you seek an order of nondisclosure.

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Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession or delivery, aggravated assault)

First 48 hours

A felony arrest in Franklin County also starts at the Franklin County Jail and the magistrate's hearing, where probable cause is checked and a bond is set. Felony amounts run higher, and the JP may attach drug testing, a curfew or an order to stay away from the complainant. Article 17.151 gives a jailed felony defendant a right to a personal bond or reduced amount once 90 days pass without the prosecution announcing ready, except on violent charges.

The grand jury and court weeks

Prosecutors from the 8th Judicial District Attorney's office drive over from Sulphur Springs to present Franklin felonies to a Mount Vernon grand jury, which needs nine of its twelve votes to indict. Since the 8th and 62nd District judges split their time among several counties, your case is heard only during the weeks a district judge holds court in Franklin County, and gaps between settings can be long. After arraignment come pretrial dates and negotiation. Pleas resolve most cases; a trial means twelve jurors who must all agree, and you can choose whether they or the judge assess punishment.

Lawyers for felony defendants

A district judge assigns a private lawyer from the county's felony appointment list once your request from the jail is processed. Relatives can call the Franklin County District Clerk at (903) 537-8337 to learn the lawyer's name.

Punishment ranges

  • State jail felony, such as stealing property worth $2,500 or more but under $30,000, or carrying under one gram of meth: from 180 days to two years.
  • Third-degree felony: between two and ten years in TDCJ.
  • Second-degree felony, the usual grade for home burglary and aggravated assault: between two and twenty years.
  • First-degree felony, such as delivery of a large drug quantity: between five and 99 years, or life.

Each grade also allows up to a $10,000 fine, and a prior felony record can raise the range. First-time defendants in Franklin County often get deferred adjudication or probation. Inmates in TDCJ typically reach parole eligibility after serving one-fourth of the term with good time; for "3g" crimes it is one-half, never under two years. Expect a Franklin felony to take six to 18 months.

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Violent felony (for example, murder, sexual assault, aggravated robbery)

Franklin County sees few homicides or armed robberies, but a violent case follows the same path as any felony, from the Franklin County Jail to a Mount Vernon grand jury to the 8th or 62nd District Court, with the stakes far higher at each stage.

Release

Texas forbids personal bonds on violent charges, and a district judge, not the JP, frequently sets the bail. Texas voters approved a 2025 constitutional amendment that lets judges deny bail in some violent-crime cases, which can keep a Franklin County defendant in custody with no bond at all. The 90-day release statute also excludes these offenses.

What the law provides

  • Murder: a first-degree felony, from five to 99 years or life.
  • Capital murder: only life without parole or a death sentence. Texas leads all states in executions, and defense counsel in a death case must hold special qualifications.
  • Sexual assault carries two to 20 years as a second-degree felony; the aggravated version is first degree, and certain child-victim counts start at 25 years.
  • Aggravated robbery: first degree, on the "3g" list, so no parole review until half the term is served.

Length of the case and victims' rights

Because the crime lab, expert witnesses and a shared district court schedule all set the pace, a Franklin violent felony can take one to three years. The state constitution's victims' rights article (art. I, sec. 30) guarantees notice, presence and a voice; the 8th Judicial District Attorney's victim staff in Sulphur Springs can be reached at (903) 885-0641. An accused person without money for a lawyer gets one appointed by the district court.

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Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Franklin County

Texas sends 17-year-olds to adult court, so Franklin County's juvenile process covers only children aged 10 through 16 on the date of the alleged act. These are civil Family Code cases, built around supervision and treatment rather than punishment.

Who handles the case

When a deputy or Mount Vernon officer detains a child, the officer calls the juvenile probation department that covers Franklin County. A probation officer completes intake, reaches the parents, decides whether the child can go home, and passes the referral to the prosecutor, who chooses whether to file a petition. The Franklin County Juvenile Board names the court that acts as juvenile court, usually a district court or the County Judge's court, and the County Judge's office at (903) 537-4252 can point families to the probation officer assigned.

Detention and hearings

No juvenile detention center operates in Franklin County, and children are never held in the adult Franklin County Jail on a juvenile referral. A child who must stay in custody is typically placed, under a probation-department contract, in a certified detention center in another Northeast Texas county. Two working days is the deadline for the detention hearing, the child gets a lawyer (court-paid if necessary), and continued detention returns to court for review within ten working days at most. Juvenile court never sets bail; a released youth goes home to a parent or guardian under court conditions.

Outcomes

  • A supervisory caution or deferred prosecution that closes the matter without a finding.
  • Probation at home or in a residential placement after an adjudication hearing.
  • Commitment to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) when the youth committed a felony.
  • For grave offenses, a determinate sentence that can later be completed in adult prison.

Adult certification

In the most serious cases the prosecutor may ask the juvenile judge to move a youth into adult criminal court. Roughly, a youth must be at least 14 for capital, first-degree or aggravated drug charges and at least 15 for other felonies, plus a diagnostic study and a hearing. Franklin juvenile records are shielded from the public, and a later sealing order is often available.

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Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Franklin County

Under 28 U.S.C. § 124, Franklin County belongs to the Eastern District of Texas and its Texarkana Division, together with Bowie, Red River and Titus counties. Federal court for those four counties meets in the federal building that sits on the Texas-Arkansas line in Texarkana.

  • U.S. District Court, Texarkana Division, U.S. Courthouse and Post Office, 500 N. State Line Ave., Room 301, Texarkana, TX 75501, (903) 794-8561
  • U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana branch at 500 State Line Ave. N., Suite 402, Texarkana, TX 75501; calls go through the Tyler headquarters, (903) 590-1400
  • Defense if you cannot pay: Eastern District Federal Public Defender staff or a CJA panel attorney

When a case goes federal

Interstate 30 runs through Mount Vernon on the way between Dallas and Little Rock, and drug and cash seizures from highway traffic stops are a regular source of federal cases in Northeast Texas. Other common federal charges include methamphetamine distribution conspiracies, possession of firearms by felons or drug users, child pornography and fraud. A case investigated by local officers can be referred to the U.S. Attorney when a federal agency such as the DEA, ATF or FBI is involved.

The federal process

Forget the county-court bail bond system once a case is federal. Your first stop after a federal arrest is a magistrate judge in Texarkana, who reads the charge and names a lawyer if you qualify. A prosecution motion to detain you leads to a hearing, generally within three court days. The Bail Reform Act then gives two options: you go home under Pretrial Services supervision and conditions, or you stay locked up until trial. If you were charged by complaint, a grand jury has 30 days to indict, and although the Speedy Trial Act calls for trial within 70 days, judges extend that often.

Most Texarkana Division defendants plead guilty; a trial jury of twelve must be unanimous to convict. U.S. Probation investigates your background for the presentence report, and the judge sentences with the advisory Guidelines in mind but cannot go under a statutory mandatory minimum without a legal basis. Because federal inmates cannot be paroled, roughly 85 percent of the term is spent in the Bureau of Prisons, even with good-conduct credit, before supervised release, and appeals from Texarkana are decided by the Fifth Circuit.

Locating a federal inmate

A name or BOP register number entered in the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows a federal prisoner's location. If the U.S. Marshals are holding the person before trial in a contract county jail, that jail's roster may show the person as well. Federal prosecutors seldom charge minors, so Franklin County youth cases are left to the state juvenile system.

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Read this Franklin County summary as general information, not legal advice; officials, court weeks and phone numbers can change. If you are charged, get advice from a defense lawyer. If you cannot afford one, raise it with the magistrate at the jail, or phone the County Judge's office at (903) 537-4252 on a misdemeanor or the District Clerk at (903) 537-8337 on a felony.

Criminal Court Process for Franklin County Texas

Franklin County Texas Criminal Court System – Definitions

It might be helpful to define some words that will be used on this site, when explaining the Texas Court System and how it works. The definitions on this site are for general information and not legal advice. It is always preferred to follow information given by your attorney or local authorities.

If you scroll down below this content, and the listing of the courts in Franklin County, you will find a simple flowchart diagram and a video that will help you visualize the stages of the Criminal Court Process.

Arrest is when Texas, Franklin County or local police take a person into custody and start the legal process. The arrested person may or may not be immediately jailed. 

In less serious crimes, the person may only be given a citation ordering that they appear in municipal or Franklin County court on a certain date. In cases involving more serious crimes, the person is usually placed in the county jail until an arraignment, or a judge decides the next step.

Booking is when the Franklin County sheriff or local police gather information such as the detainee’s name, address and why the person is being arrested. Booking also includes fingerprinting, criminal history, investigation and verification of identity. Bail for lower-level crimes may be set right after booking so the arrested has the opportunity to “bail or bond out” before being detained.

The prosecution, sometimes called “the government” or “the people” or “the state” is the side that press the charges and seeks punishment for the offense. These are attorneys that work for the state of Texas, Franklin County or a city or town. The prosecuting attorney for Franklin County or the district works in the prosecutor’s office.  A U.S. Attorney prosecutes federal cases.  

Jurisdiction is an important term in the court system that means whether a court has the obligation or duty or right to handle a case.  For example, if you run a red light in your town or city, a municipal court would likely have jurisdiction over your case, but the next town or city over would not have jurisdiction over your case.  If you attempted to flee from police when they attempted to stop you after you ran the red light, it becomes a more serious crime, and the municipal court might not have jurisdiction so you might be assigned to a higher-level court that has jurisdiction over the more serious crime.  Jurisdiction varies from state to state and sometimes county to county.

Arraignment in Texas comes after charges are formally filed, usually by indictment for a felony. The trial court reads the charge and the defendant enters a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest. It is a separate step from the first appearance before a magistrate, where rights are explained, bail is set and a request for an appointed lawyer can be made.

An arraignment is not a trial, and the defendant is entitled to a trial within a reasonable amount of time after the arraignment.

Bail is money paid that is held by the Franklin County or municipal court to make sure that the arrested does not flee the area before their trial. In Texas, bail and its conditions are set by a magistrate soon after arrest, at the hearing often called magistration. When the case is over, cash posted as bail is refunded on the court’s order to the person named on the receipt, less any fee the law allows.

If a person does not pay bail, they stay in custody until their trial.  Bail can be denied if the court feels that the arrested would be a danger to others if released. Sometimes the court decides that there is a good chance that the arrested will show up for trial and not flee so they are released on their own promise, or recognizance without having to pay bail.

A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid. In Texas it usually happens at the first appearance before a magistrate, soon after arrest, well before any arraignment. A defendant may have a lawyer at a bond proceeding, and a defendant facing a request to deny bail under Proposition 3 has the right to one at that hearing. Jailers, police and prosecutors can’t set bail. In Texas a magistrate does, usually within 48 hours of arrest, and that magistrate may be a justice of the peace, a municipal judge, an appointed magistrate or a county or district judge. Texas doesn’t use one bail schedule for the whole state; each county’s judges adopt their own. Before setting bail, the magistrate reviews a Public Safety Report on the person’s criminal history (the Damon Allen Act, Senate Bill 6, 2021). Since September 2025, Senate Bill 9 sends some felony bail decisions to a judge rather than an appointed magistrate, and since November 2025 Proposition 3 lets a judge deny bail outright for certain violent and sexual felonies after a hearing.

It is always important to have family involvement after being arrested.  Not only can they make calls and communicate on your behalf (not all bond companies will accept collect calls), but family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court, not only for the defendant’s own good, but because they may have signed bond paperwork and responsible to pay if the defendant does not show in court. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.  

(There have been phone scams to where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information.  A bondsman will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)

A judicial public bond or personal recognizance bond is a bond where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the money if the defendant does not show up to court. If the defendant does not show, the full amount will be due and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible to pay the court.  Sometimes the court decides that there is a good chance that the arrested will show up for trial and not flee so they are released on their own promise, or recognizance.  

Cash bonds in Texas. Instead of using a bondsman, the defendant or someone on their behalf deposits the full bail amount with the court or the sheriff. The money is held until the case ends, then refunded on the court’s order to the person named on the receipt, less the administrative fee the law allows (Art. 17.02).

Surety Bond is when defendant pays a percentage of the bond amount (usually 10–15%) to a professional bondsman or bail bond company licensed under Texas law, or by the county’s bail bond board in counties that have one. The bondsman then signs the bond on behalf of the defendant. The defendant does not receive any of the money back. If the bondsman feels the defendant is a flight risk, they can refuse to give a bond or charge a higher fee. For example, a bondsman may determine a defendant is a flight risk if they are from a state other than Texas.

A Property Bond is a bond in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate.  Usually, the property must be in Franklin County, and it must be worth at least the amount of the bond.

An Unsecured Bond is when the defendant is released without paying bail upfront, but they must pay the full amount if they do not appear in court.

A Secured Bond is when the defendant pays a portion of the bail up front. If they show to court, they would get the money back and if they don’t show up to court, would have to pay the entire bail amount.

A criminal defense attorney (also called lawyer or counsel) is hired or retained to represent the arrested as early as possible after the arrest.

If there is a chance that the case might go to trial and the defendant cannot afford an attorney, the 6th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires that the court provide an attorney. This is called indigent representation and a public defender or assigned attorney would represent the defendant in all proceedings. Indigent representation is only available misdemeanor and felony cases that could result in jail time, juvenile cases and certain appeal cases. Class C misdemeanors do not qualify for indigent representation.  

Texas requires that the county pays for appointed counsel and expenses and each county may address indigent defense differently but must comply with the state commission’s guidelines.  If an accused cannot afford a lawyer, the court appoints one. A judge may later order the defendant to repay some or all of that cost if they are able to.  

For less serious cases or civil cases, pro bono volunteers give legal help free or at low cost. Many hold clinics on representing yourself or clearing (expunging) a record. Pro Bono Texas is a good place to start looking for one.

Many courts will provide forms and help for people who want to represent themselves, called pro se.

In Texas, a district court is the main state trial court for felonies. The name can also mean a U.S. federal district court, which hears federal cases; Texas has four federal judicial districts with offices around the state. It is important that you check the address of the court you are to appear in rather than to ask someone because that person might give you directions to the wrong “district” court. Being late to court can land you in custody as well.

Pretrial proceeding is the process where both sides (prosecution and defense) gather information, interview witnesses, request records, videos etc. Pretrial proceedings also include communications with the judge assigned to the case and these appearances are either in person or by on-line conferencing. Some pretrial proceedings may not require a defendant’s appearance, allowing an attorney to appear in their place. The information that is gathered is called discovery and both sides must share the information that they have gathered.  This information does not include conversations between the arrested and their attorney.

Most cases do not go to trial because both sides reach a plea deal, where both sides try to reach a reasonable punishment based on what was learned in the pretrial proceedings.  A plea deal can only happen if the accused person admits they are guilty in exchange for a lighter punishment.  The reason they must admit guilt is because it would not be fair to punish someone who claims they are not guilty.  There are times in plea bargaining when the prosecution agrees to give a lighter sentence in exchange for information leading to the arrest of more serious criminal related to the crime.  

Trial is where both sides share their information in front of a judge or a judge and jury. After listening to all the evidence, the judge or jury decides the verdict which is whether if the person is guilty or not guilty. If a court has only a judge hearing both sides, it is called a bench trial.  If a jury is selected, it is called a jury trial.  If the defendant is found non-guilty, they are released.  If they are found to be guilty, the next step is sentencing.

Sentencing is the punishment that the judge decides the person should get. This could be jail or prison time, fines, community service, probation, or a combination.

Appeal is asking for a higher court to hear the case again at an appellate court.  If the accused person thinks something went wrong at trial or has new information that was not available during the trial or that the sentence is too harsh, the defense attorney can ask for an appeal. It is not unusual for an appeal when there is a long jail sentence, but an appeal can be denied if the appellate court feels that the original trial or sentencing was fair.

Texas Felony vs Misdemeanor

In Texas, a misdemeanor is divided into Class A, Class B and Class C.

  • Class A is the most serious misdemeanor with penalties of up to 1 year in county jail and a fine of up to $4000.  Examples of a Class A misdemeanor in Texas include property theft valued between $750 and $2500, certain drug possession offenses and assault with bodily harm. 
  • Class B Misdemeanors can result in penalties of up to 180 days in county jail and a fine of up to $2000. Examples of a Class B misdemeanor include first offense DWI, possession of marijuana and criminal trespassing.
  • Class C misdemeanor is the least serious and results in a fine of up to $500 without jail time. Examples of Class C misdemeanor include disorderly conduct, simple assault without bodily injury and minor possession of alcohol.

A felony crime in Texas is a more serious crime than a misdemeanor and can be punished with more significant fines and jail time of more than one year.  Examples of felony crimes are murder, rape, theft, aggravated assault, drug trafficking, kidnapping and identity theft.

In Texas, the elected District Clerk keeps the records for felony cases and the elected County Clerk (or County Court at Law clerk) keeps misdemeanor records; both accept filings, bonds, fees and fines and keep the court’s files.

A warrant is used to get someone to appear in court or to law enforcement.  There must be good reason to believe that the person is involved in a crime. The warrant gives authority to arrest the person and search for evidence for the investigation of the crime. 

A criminal summons is issued to request that a person appear in court at a particular time and date.  It does not involve an arrest.  A traffic ticket, summary citation or lesser misdemeanor could be considered a summons if you are given a court date.

A summary citation, commonly referred to as a ticket, is a criminal summons by a law enforcement officer either in person or via mail accusing the defendant of a minor offense, stating potential fine, listing the court having jurisdiction and instructions for addressing the issue. Defendants may or may not be required to appear in court or handle the matter by entering a plea via mail.

Fines are usually paid to the District Clerk or County Clerk, and payment methods can be found on the Franklin County District Clerk or County Clerk website. If you do not pay your fine on time, you can lose your driver’s license, have to pay additional fees or even have a warrant for your arrest.  It is important to read the instructions on the ticket issued by the police officer or court at the time of your arrest. For a parking ticket or summary citation, the fine amount and how to send payment should be on the ticket. 

Texas Criminal Court System - How it Works

Justice courts are located within precincts are the lower-level criminal courts that handle Class C misdemeanors such as disorderly conduct, public intoxication and minor possession of alcohol and traffic violations. The judges are magistrates. 

Municipal courts handle violations of municipal ordinances (city laws), traffic violations, parking violations and criminal misdemeanor offenses that occur within the city or towns police jurisdiction. They overlap with justice courts in handling Class C misdemeanors. These courts are for criminal misdemeanors and are only punishable by fine and there is no confinement.

When there is an appeal request from a judgement made in justice or municipal court, the case is heard in a county or district court as if the original trial in the lower court had not occurred.  This is called trial de novo.

Texas County Courts are the original and trial courts for the more serious Class A and B misdemeanor cases. Each Texas county has one constitutional county court, and many counties have added statutory County Courts at Law to share its caseload; in larger counties those courts hear most Class A and B misdemeanors.  County courts are not courts for felony cases.

District courts in Texas are trial courts that handle criminal felony cases from beginning to end.  

Every Texas county designates at least one court to sit as its juvenile court (Family Code 51.04). A child in juvenile court is someone who was 10 through 16 at the time of the alleged conduct; at 17, Texas treats a person as an adult in criminal cases. The juvenile cases are handled by judges assigned to only serve “juvenile court”.

Courts of Appeal handle appeals from the district and county courts.

Specialty courts or problem-solving courts are being adopted in many states as a way to handle cases that involve non-violent and first-time offender cases in a way to where the offender can retain a job or responsibilities while following specific orders of the court as returned court appearances, periodic evaluations or testing for substances. Texas offers a variety of specialty courts throughout the state including drug, veteran’s, re-entry and DWI courts.

Texas has two high courts. The Texas Supreme Court is the final word on civil and juvenile cases. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin is the highest court for criminal cases and automatically reviews every death sentence. Most criminal appeals reach it after one of the state’s intermediate courts of appeals has ruled.

FEDERAL COURT

Federal Court deals with crimes involving violations of United States laws.  Federal crimes include federal drug trafficking, federal tax evasion and fraud that crossed state lines and include crimes that occur on federal property as post offices or federal buildings.  

Cases involving crimes that involve the FBI or DEA or Immigration agencies are federal crimes. Terrorism is a federal crime. 

There are some differences in the Federal court system as compared to the Texas state court system. For example, the attorneys who work for the courts are called United States Attorneys and Federal judges are called District Court Judges (not to be confused by local state district courts).  

Federal Magistrate Judges hear the case early on, but they do not decide on the cases at a trial like the Federal District Court Judges. In a federal case, a grand jury is used for indictments.

There are four U.S. Federal Judicial Districts in Texas.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Franklin County

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Every detail on this page is checked by hand, not scraped. This unofficial directory helps friends and family of incarcerated individuals find critical information — inmate lists, locations, bail resources, visitation hours, rules, and text, phone, email, and mail services — for jails, detention centers, and prisons across the United States.