The town of Mason, known for its stone courthouse square and German heritage, is the county seat of Mason County in the Texas Hill Country. Class C cases are heard by the county's single justice of the peace or, for city tickets, by the Mason Municipal Court; Class A and B misdemeanors go to the constitutional County Court; and felonies are tried in the 452nd District Court, which rides a circuit through Edwards, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch and Menard counties. The Mason County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors, and the 452nd District Attorney, whose office is in Mason, prosecutes felonies in all five counties. The Sheriff keeps a very small jail in Mason.
- Mason County Courthouse (County Judge, County Court and County and District Clerk), 201 Fort McKavitt St., Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5253
- Mason County Justice of the Peace, P.O. Box 675, Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5412
- 452nd District Court (Edwards, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch and Menard counties), 201 Fort McKavitt St., Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5253
- Mason County Attorney, Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5614
- 452nd District Attorney, Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-8400
- Mason County Jail (Mason County Sheriff's Office), Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5252
Which court hears your case. Class C misdemeanors are fine-only: speeding on U.S. 87 and State Highway 29, hunting-season game and fish citations, public intoxication, petty theft under $100 and offensive-contact assaults. A deputy's or trooper's citation is filed with the Mason County Justice of the Peace; a citation from a city officer inside Mason goes to the Mason Municipal Court. Class A and B misdemeanors, which include a first DWI, are tried by the County Judge in the Mason County Court, since there is no county court at law. A felony case starts with magistrate warnings and reaches the 452nd District Court after a Mason County grand jury indicts; the district judge holds court in each of the five counties in turn.
Where pretrial inmates are held. The Sheriff runs the Mason County Jail in the town of Mason, but it is tiny: the state's 2022 jail population report listed a rated capacity of only five beds. People arrested in the county are booked there and seen by a magistrate. Anyone who cannot post the bond and needs to be held for more than a short time may be housed in a larger county's jail under an agreement, so the Sheriff's Office at (325) 347-5252 is the place to ask where a person is being held.
- Local courts in Mason County (justice of the peace, municipal and county courts)
- Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DWI, assault causing bodily injury, criminal trespass)
- Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession or delivery, aggravated assault)
- Violent felony (for example, murder, sexual assault, aggravated robbery)
- Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Mason County
- Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Mason County
Local courts in Mason County (justice of the peace, municipal and county courts)
Mason County has about 4,000 residents and one incorporated town, so it gets by with one justice of the peace, one city court and a County Court run by the County Judge. The justice of the peace is also the usual magistrate for people arrested in the county, giving them their warnings and setting bail.
Justice of the Peace court
- Mason County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, P.O. Box 675, Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5412
Municipal court
- Mason Municipal Court, P.O. Box 68, Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-6449
County and district courts
- Mason County Court (Class A and B misdemeanors; appeals from the justice and municipal courts), 201 Fort McKavitt St., Mason, TX 76856, (325) 347-5253
- 452nd District Court (felonies), sitting at the Mason County Courthouse on scheduled court days; clerk (325) 347-5253
Mason County uses a combined County and District Clerk, so the same office keeps the files for misdemeanor and felony cases. Anyone convicted of a Class C offense in the justice or municipal court may appeal to the County Court for a new trial if the appeal is filed promptly.
Misdemeanor (for example, theft, a first DWI, assault causing bodily injury, criminal trespass)
Ranching, deer leases and weekend visitors to the Llano River shape what ends up on Mason County's misdemeanor docket: DWI, hunting-lease trespass, small thefts and family disputes. The Mason County Attorney, (325) 347-5614, brings these cases in the County Court.
After the arrest
The arrested person is booked at the Mason County Jail. Within 48 hours a magistrate, typically the justice of the peace, explains the accusation, gives the warnings required by article 15.17 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, takes any request for appointed counsel and sets bail. A person can be released by posting cash, through a licensed bondsman's surety bond, or on a personal bond. Because the jail is so small, quick release or transfer to another county is common.
The County Court process
The County Attorney files an information, and the case is set before the Mason County Judge. Plea agreements resolve most cases. The defendant may instead take the case to trial before the judge or a six-member jury whose verdict must be unanimous, and may have the jury assess punishment. A case can end in dismissal, pretrial diversion, deferred adjudication, probation, a fine or a jail sentence that may be served in another county's facility.
Penalty ranges
- Theft: Class C if under $100; Class B from $100 up to $750; Class A from $750 up to $2,500. Theft of livestock is treated more seriously and can be a felony at lower values.
- First DWI: Class B, punishable by 72 hours to 180 days in jail, often probated, and a fine of no more than $3,000; it rises to Class A at 0.15 or higher, and an open container means at least six days in jail. A conviction also triggers a license suspension, a DWI education program, a state fine and possibly an ignition interlock, in addition to any administrative license suspension.
- Assault causing bodily injury: Class A, with up to one year in jail and up to $4,000 in fines; family violence findings carry long-term consequences.
- Criminal trespass: Class B for entering posted ranch land or a hunting lease without permission; Class A for a habitation or when carrying a deadly weapon.
Mason County misdemeanors generally resolve within two to six months. Under the county's indigent defense plan, the County Judge appoints private lawyers for defendants who qualify; ask at magistration or call (325) 347-5253.
Felony (for example, burglary, felony theft, drug possession or delivery, aggravated assault)
Felonies in Mason County are prosecuted by the 452nd District Attorney, (325) 347-8400, and heard by the 452nd District Court, which divides its time among five Hill Country counties. Here is how the case typically unfolds:
- Booking and release. The defendant is taken to the Mason County Jail and must see a magistrate within 48 hours. With a public safety report in hand, the Mason County magistrate sets bail and any conditions.
- Grand jury. The District Attorney presents the case to a Mason County grand jury. If nine of the twelve grand jurors agree there is probable cause, they return an indictment.
- Arraignment. The defendant is formally charged in the 452nd District Court, pleads, and receives the State's evidence.
- Plea or trial. Most felonies end in plea agreements. At trial, the 12 jurors seated in Mason must all agree on guilt, and the defendant may choose whether the judge or the jury decides the sentence.
Felony punishment
- State jail felony: 180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine of up to $10,000, for offenses such as theft of $2,500 to $30,000 or possessing under a gram of methamphetamine.
- Third degree: two to ten years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
- Second degree: two to twenty years; this covers burglary of a habitation and most aggravated assaults.
- First degree: from five years up to 99 years or life.
- Controlled substances: the grade depends on the penalty group and the weight, and manufacture or delivery is graded above possession.
Deferred adjudication is commonly offered on a first felony, while prior convictions can enhance the range. Parole eligibility generally arrives at one-quarter of the sentence with good time, or at one-half (two years minimum) for "3g" offenses. Felonies in a circuit-riding district like the 452nd usually take six to eighteen months. The district judge appoints private counsel for defendants who cannot afford a lawyer; request one at magistration or through the County and District Clerk at (325) 347-5253.
Violent felony (for example, murder, sexual assault, aggravated robbery)
Serious violent crime is uncommon in Mason County, and a homicide or sexual assault investigation usually brings in the Texas Rangers. A defendant charged with a violent offense cannot be released on a personal bond, and Under a constitutional amendment Texas voters approved in 2025, judges in Mason County can deny bail in some violent-crime cases. Given the size of the Mason County Jail, a defendant held for months awaiting trial is likely to be housed in another county's jail.
- Capital murder: if convicted, the only sentences are death and life imprisonment without parole.
- Murder: a first-degree felony carrying five years to life.
- Sexual assault: a second-degree felony with mandatory sex offender registration; aggravated sexual assault is first degree, and some child-victim cases carry a 25-year minimum.
- Aggravated robbery: first degree, and a Mason County defendant convicted of this "3g" offense must serve half the sentence before parole is considered.
The Texas Constitution's crime victims' provision (article I, section 30) guarantees victims notice of court proceedings, a chance to confer with the 452nd District Attorney and the right to give a statement at sentencing. A Mason County violent felony often takes one to three years to reach a verdict or plea. In a capital case, the court must appoint lawyers who meet special qualifications, and many rural counties rely on a regional public defender for capital cases.
Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Mason County
Juvenile court in Texas handles children who were 10 to 16 years old when the offense occurred, while 17-year-olds go to adult court. Mason County's juvenile cases are heard in the court designated by its juvenile board, which is the County Court or the 452nd District Court.
Intake by juvenile probation
When a Mason County child is taken into custody, the juvenile probation department that serves the county reviews the referral, reaches the parents and decides whether the child may go home. A first, low-level case can often be settled through supervisory caution or deferred prosecution. For more serious conduct, the prosecutor, usually the County Attorney at (325) 347-5614, files a petition with the juvenile court.
Detention
Mason County has no juvenile detention center of its own. A child who must be held is typically taken to a certified regional facility under contract, such as one in San Angelo or the Hill Country. The court must hold a detention hearing within two working days, and a lawyer is appointed if the parents cannot pay for one.
Outcomes
- Deferred prosecution, which ends in dismissal if the child completes the conditions.
- Probation supervised by a juvenile probation officer, with school, counseling and restitution requirements.
- Commitment to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) after a felony-grade adjudication.
- Determinate sentencing for certain grave offenses, which may continue in adult prison.
The prosecutor may ask the juvenile court to certify a child to stand trial as an adult. Generally the child must have been at least 14 for capital felonies, first-degree felonies and some aggravated drug offenses, or at least 15 for other felonies, and the court must order evaluations and hold a hearing. Records of juvenile cases in Mason County are not public and can usually be sealed. Families may reach the juvenile court through the County Judge's office at (325) 347-5253.
Federal cases (U.S. District Court) from Mason County
Under federal law, Mason County is assigned to the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas. Federal cases from the county are heard at the courthouse in downtown Austin, roughly 110 miles to the east.
- U.S. District Clerk, Austin Division, 501 W. Fifth St., Suite 1100, Austin, TX 78701, (512) 916-5896
- U.S. Attorney's Office, Austin, 903 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 334, Austin, TX 78701, (512) 916-5858
- Defense for those who cannot pay: the Federal Public Defender's Austin office or a lawyer from the court's Criminal Justice Act panel
How Mason County cases become federal
Only conduct that breaks a federal law, and that federal prosecutors decide to pursue, ends up in the Austin courthouse. For a rural Hill Country county, that typically means drug distribution conspiracies, firearms offenses by prohibited people, online child exploitation, wildlife or federal-land violations, and fraud against federal farm or disaster programs.
Steps in a federal prosecution
The defendant first appears before a U.S. magistrate judge in Austin. There is no bail bondsman in this system; the magistrate judge applies the Bail Reform Act, releasing the defendant under conditions supervised by U.S. Pretrial Services or ordering detention after a hearing that is ordinarily held within three court days. A grand jury indictment is required within 30 days when a case begins by complaint, and the Speedy Trial Act sets a 70-day clock for trial that judges often extend. Trial juries have 12 members and must be unanimous, though guilty pleas resolve most cases. The court considers a presentence report, the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and any statutory minimum before sentencing. Federal prisoners serve about 85 percent of their terms because parole no longer exists, and supervised release follows. Appeals go to the Fifth Circuit.
Searching federal custody records
The Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator lets you look someone up by name or register number. A pretrial defendant held in a county jail that contracts with the U.S. Marshals may also be listed on that jail's roster. Juveniles are seldom prosecuted federally, and a Mason County youth's case will almost certainly remain in state court.
This page describes criminal court procedure in Mason County in general terms and is not legal advice; officeholders, schedules and practices change. To request a court-appointed lawyer, ask the magistrate after arrest or call the County and District Clerk at (325) 347-5253, and verify every court date with the clerk's office.