Llano County Jail Criminal Court Process

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Criminal Court Process for Llano County Texas

Llano, on the Llano River in the Texas Hill Country, is the county seat of Llano County, which also includes Kingsland, Buchanan Dam, Sunrise Beach Village and much of Horseshoe Bay along the Highland Lakes. Four justice of the peace courts and the Llano, Horseshoe Bay and Sunrise Beach Village municipal courts handle Class C offenses; the constitutional county court handles Class A and B misdemeanors; and felonies go to the 33rd or 424th District Court, both of which serve Blanco, Burnet, Llano and San Saba counties. The Llano County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors, and the District Attorney for the 33rd and 424th Judicial Districts, whose office is in Burnet, prosecutes felonies. Adults arrested in the county are held in the Llano County Jail, operated by the Sheriff's Office in Llano.

  • Llano County Court (County Judge; Class A and B misdemeanors), 107 West Sandstone Street, P.O. Box 40, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-4455
  • 33rd and 424th District Courts and District Clerk (felony cases), 832 Ford Street, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-5036
  • Llano County Attorney (misdemeanor prosecutions), Llano County courthouse, Llano, TX 78643
  • District Attorney, 33rd and 424th Judicial Districts (felony prosecutions for Blanco, Burnet, Llano and San Saba counties), main office in Burnet
  • Llano County Jail (Llano County Sheriff's Office), 752 Andy Taylor Drive, Suite A, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-5767

Which court hears your case. Class C misdemeanors, the offenses punished by a fine alone (a speeding ticket, public intoxication, theft of less than $100, a minor assault without injury), are heard by the Justice of the Peace court for the precinct where the ticket was written or, if city officers wrote it inside town, by the municipal court in Llano, Horseshoe Bay or Sunrise Beach Village. Class A and B misdemeanors, including a first DWI, belong to the Llano County Court, presided over by the County Judge, since Llano County has no county court at law. Felonies begin with magistrate warnings and, after a Llano County grand jury indicts, are heard by the 33rd District Court or the 424th District Court, two courts that cover the same four counties and divide the docket between them.

Where pretrial inmates are held. People arrested by deputies, state troopers or the Llano and Horseshoe Bay police are booked into the jail run by the Llano County Sheriff and stay there until they post bail, are released by a judge or resolve their case. Because Horseshoe Bay sits on the Llano-Burnet county line, an arrest on the Burnet County side of the city goes to Burnet County instead. To confirm custody, call the Sheriff's Office at (325) 247-5767.

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

Llano County's four justice courts are spread around the lakes and the county seat: Precinct 1 at Horseshoe Bay, Precincts 2 and 3 at Buchanan Dam, and Precinct 4 at the law enforcement center in Llano. Each JP handles Class C cases, warrants and magistrate duty for people held at the Llano County Jail, where the judge explains the charges and sets bond.

Justice of the Peace courts

  • Precinct 1, 101 Ferguson Road (P.O. Box 8759), Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657, (830) 598-2296
  • Precinct 2, 8347 Ranch Road 1431 (P.O. Box 5), Buchanan Dam, TX 78609, (512) 793-2332
  • Precinct 3, 8347 Ranch Road 1431, Buchanan Dam, TX 78609 (mail to P.O. Box 1631, Kingsland, TX 78639), (512) 793-2016
  • Precinct 4, Llano County Law Enforcement Center, 2001-B North State Highway 16, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-3178

Municipal courts

  • Llano Municipal Court, Llano City Hall, 301 West Main Street, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-1928
  • Horseshoe Bay Municipal Court, Horseshoe Bay City Hall, 1 Community Drive (P.O. Box 7765), Horseshoe Bay, TX 78657, (830) 598-9972
  • Sunrise Beach Village Municipal Court, 124 Sunrise Drive, Sunrise Beach, TX 78643, (325) 388-6438

Kingsland and Buchanan Dam are unincorporated, so tickets issued there go to the justice courts.

County court

  • Llano County Court (constitutional county court; Class A and B misdemeanors and appeals from justice and municipal courts), 107 West Sandstone Street, Llano, TX 78643, (325) 247-4455

Class C convictions from a justice court or a municipal court without a court reporter can be appealed to the county court, which hears the case fresh; the deadline is generally 10 days after judgment.

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

Lake traffic and tourism drive much of the misdemeanor caseload in Llano County, especially boating and driving while intoxicated around Lake LBJ and Inks Lake, thefts from lake homes, and disturbances during summer weekends. Every arrest starts with booking at the Llano County Jail.

The magistrate hearing

Texas law gives officials 48 hours to bring an arrested person before a magistrate. In Llano County one of the justices of the peace reads the article 15.17 warnings, advises the person of the rights to silence and to counsel, and sets bail. A defendant may post the full amount in cash, pay a licensed bail bondsman a nonrefundable premium to post a surety bond, or receive a personal bond and go home on a signed promise to return. An emergency protective order is common after a family-violence arrest.

In the Llano County Court

The Llano County Attorney reviews the case and files an information with the County Clerk. The County Judge handles arraignment and pretrial dockets, and most cases are resolved by plea agreements. A jury of six, which must be unanimous, hears any misdemeanor trial. Defendants who cannot afford a lawyer can be represented through the North Hill Country Public Defender Office, a regional office serving Blanco, Burnet and Llano counties, or by court-appointed private counsel; ask the magistrate, or call the County Court at (325) 247-4455.

Penalties at a glance

  • Theft: Class C below $100; Class B at $100 to $750, carrying up to 180 days and a $2,000 fine; Class A at $750 to $2,500, carrying up to a year and a $4,000 fine.
  • Assault causing bodily injury: Class A. If family violence is found, a repeat case can be filed as a felony and federal law forbids possessing a firearm.
  • Criminal trespass: ordinarily Class B; Class A when a residence is involved or the person has a deadly weapon.
  • First DWI: Class B, with 72 hours to 180 days and a fine of up to $3,000; Class A once the test result reaches 0.15; a minimum of six days with an open container. Separately, the license faces an administrative suspension, and a conviction may bring a DWI education course, an ignition interlock and a state fine. Probation is typical for first offenders. Boating while intoxicated on the lakes carries similar penalties.

Other results include dismissal, pretrial diversion and deferred adjudication, which leaves no conviction after successful supervision and may allow an order of nondisclosure. Class A and B cases in Llano usually take two to six months.

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

Llano County felonies are prosecuted by the District Attorney for the 33rd and 424th Judicial Districts and heard in Llano by the judges of those two courts, who also preside in Burnet, Blanco and San Saba counties.

  1. Magistration. Since the 2021 Damon Allen Act, the magistrate must consider a public safety report before setting bond in a felony case. A defendant who cannot post it stays in the Llano County Jail.
  2. Defense counsel. Indigent felony defendants are typically represented by the North Hill Country Public Defender Office or by an appointed private attorney under the district's indigent defense plan, with support from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. Ask at magistration or through the District Clerk at (325) 247-5036.
  3. Grand jury. The District Attorney presents the evidence to a Llano County grand jury. The grand jury may indict or decline, and a defendant who has a plea agreement may waive indictment.
  4. The 90-day release rule. When the State is not ready for trial within 90 days of a felony arrest, a detained defendant is generally entitled to release on personal bond or a lower amount, unless the charge is violent.
  5. Plea or trial. After arraignment, plea negotiations settle most cases. A defendant who goes to trial is judged by 12 jurors who must all agree, and can choose jury sentencing.

Felony ranges

  • State jail felony: 180 days to 2 years, such as theft of $2,500 to $30,000 or possession of less than a gram of a hard drug.
  • Third degree: 2 to 10 years. Second degree: 2 to 20 years, the level for breaking into a home and for nearly every aggravated assault. First degree: 5 to 99 years or life. Fines of up to $10,000 are available at every level.
  • Drug offenses: the penalty group and amount determine the level, which can run up to first degree.

Repeat felony offenders can face enhanced ranges. A person convicted of a "3g" offense must serve half the sentence, with a two-year minimum, before parole eligibility, while most other inmates become eligible at about one-quarter including good time. Deferred adjudication is frequently offered on a first felony. Felony cases in Llano typically take six to eighteen months.

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

The Llano County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers usually investigate homicides and serious sexual assaults in the county, and the District Attorney for the 33rd and 424th Districts prosecutes them. The Damon Allen Act forbids personal bonds for violent offenses, and Under a constitutional amendment Texas voters approved in 2025, judges in Llano County can deny bail in some violent-crime cases.

  • Capital murder: death, if prosecutors seek it, or life without parole.
  • Murder: first degree, with 5 to 99 years or life as the range.
  • Sexual assault: second degree. Aggravated sexual assault: first degree, with at least 25 years required for certain offenses against children.
  • Aggravated robbery: first degree, and a "3g" offense with parole eligibility only at half the sentence.

People charged with these crimes are often held in the Llano County Jail until trial, sometimes on very high bail. In capital cases, defense lawyers must meet special qualifications, and the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases serves many smaller counties. Crime victims have rights under article I, section 30 of the Texas Constitution, including being informed and heard. From arrest to verdict, a Llano County violent felony can stretch from one year to three.

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Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Llano County

The juvenile court in Texas handles offenses committed by children aged 10 through 16. A 17-year-old arrested in Llano County goes to the adult jail and the regular criminal courts.

Intake and the petition

The juvenile probation department that serves Llano County handles intake. A probation officer decides whether to release the child to a parent or guardian, handle the matter informally, or refer it for formal action. The County Attorney or District Attorney, according to the county's designation, decides whether to file a petition in the juvenile court that the Llano County Juvenile Board has designated, which is usually the county court or one of the district courts.

Detention

Llano County does not operate its own juvenile detention center. A youth who must be held is typically placed under contract at a regional juvenile detention facility, such as one in the Hill Country or the Austin area. The judge holds a detention hearing within two working days and then reviews detention at regular intervals.

Possible results

  • Deferred prosecution or supervisory caution for a minor first case.
  • Probation with conditions such as counseling, school attendance, curfew, community service and restitution, sometimes in a residential placement.
  • Commitment to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD), or a determinate sentence for serious crimes that may lead to transfer to adult prison.
  • Certification to stand trial as an adult, generally at 14 or older for capital and first-degree felonies (and certain aggravated drug felonies) and 15 or older for other felonies.

Children are entitled to a lawyer at every stage, appointed when the family cannot pay. Juvenile records in Llano County are confidential, and most can be sealed.

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

Llano County falls within the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas. A federal case from Llano, Kingsland or Horseshoe Bay is handled at the federal courthouse in downtown Austin, about 75 miles to the southeast.

  • Federal court, Austin Division: U.S. District Clerk, Suite 1100, 501 West Fifth Street, Austin, (512) 916-5896
  • U.S. Attorney's Office in Austin: 903 San Jacinto Boulevard, Suite 334, Austin, (512) 916-5858
  • Federal defense for those who cannot pay: the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas, which has an Austin office, or a Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel lawyer

Federal cases from Llano County

Federal prosecutions from Llano County are infrequent. Those that do arise tend to involve methamphetamine trafficking along the U.S. 281 and State Highway 71 corridors, illegal possession of firearms, online exploitation of children and financial fraud, including schemes aimed at retirees around the lakes.

Steps in a federal case

Defendants first appear in Austin before a magistrate judge, who explains the charges and appoints counsel when the person qualifies. In federal court, commercial bail through a bondsman is not an option. A detention hearing, if the prosecution requests one, generally takes place within three court days, and the Bail Reform Act lets the magistrate judge release the defendant on conditions supervised by U.S. Pretrial Services or order detention. Indictment by a federal grand jury must come within 30 days when the case starts with a complaint, and the Speedy Trial Act aims for trial within 70 days, a timeline that is commonly extended. Trial juries have 12 members who must agree, but most federal cases end in pleas.

Sentencing

Federal probation officers prepare a presentence report, and the district judge weighs the advisory Sentencing Guidelines, subject to any mandatory minimum. Federal prisoners do not earn parole and serve about 85 percent of their sentence in the Bureau of Prisons, followed by supervised release. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit takes appeals from the Austin Division.

To learn where a federal prisoner from Llano County is held, enter a name or register number in the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. A federal pretrial detainee housed in a county jail under contract with the Marshals Service may also be shown on that jail's roster. Juveniles are seldom charged in federal court.

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This page provides general information about criminal court cases in Llano County and is not legal advice. Court rules, contacts and jail practices change over time. A person charged with a crime should consult a defense lawyer; someone who cannot afford one can request appointed counsel at magistration, through the North Hill Country Public Defender Office, or by calling the District Clerk at (325) 247-5036.

Criminal Court Process for Llano County Texas

Llano 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 Llano 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, Llano 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 Llano 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 Llano 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, Llano County or a city or town. The prosecuting attorney for Llano 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 Llano 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 Llano 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 Llano 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.

Courts

JUSTICE-THE PEACE 2
17619 E STATE HIGHWAY 29
BUCHANAN DAM TX, 78609
512-793-2332
LLANO MUNICIPAL COURT
301 W MAIN ST # 1
LLANO TX, 78643
325-247-1928
LLANO COUNTY DISTRICT CLERK
832 FORD ST
LLANO TX, 78643
325-247-5036
LLANO COUNTY COURTHOUSE
801 FORD ST
LLANO TX, 78643
325-247-7730

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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.