Menard County Jail Criminal Court Process

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Menard County

Criminal Court Process for Menard County Texas

Menard, a ranching town on the San Saba River with about 1,400 residents, is the county seat of Menard County, one of the least populated counties in the Texas Hill Country. Its courthouse on East San Saba Avenue houses the county's single justice of the peace, who takes Class C cases, and the constitutional County Court, where the County Judge hears Class A and B misdemeanors. Felonies go to the 452nd District Court, a five-county district that also includes Edwards, Kimble, Mason and McCulloch counties. The Menard County Attorney prosecutes misdemeanors, and the 452nd District Attorney handles felonies across the district. Menard County keeps only a very small jail, so people arrested here may be held in another county under contract.

  • Menard County Courthouse (County Court; District and County Clerk), 206 E. San Saba Ave. (P.O. Box 1038), Menard, TX 76859, (325) 396-4682
  • Justice of the Peace, 206 E. San Saba Ave. (P.O. Box 1095), Menard, TX 76859, (325) 396-2239
  • Menard County Jail and Sheriff's Office, Menard, TX 76859, (325) 396-4705
  • 452nd District Attorney (felonies in Edwards, Kimble, Mason, McCulloch and Menard counties), (325) 347-8400
  • Menard County Attorney (misdemeanors), (325) 396-4682

Which court hears your case. A Class C misdemeanor is any offense punished by a fine alone, such as a speeding ticket, public intoxication, theft under $100 or an assault by offensive contact that causes no injury. In Menard County almost all of these are filed with the Justice of the Peace in the courthouse; the county has no separate municipal court listed in the state's directories, so tickets written inside the City of Menard are also typically handled by the justice court. Class A and B misdemeanors, including a first DWI, go to the Menard County Court, presided over by the County Judge, because the county has no county court at law. A felony begins with a magistrate's warnings and is tried in the 452nd District Court once a Menard County grand jury indicts.

Where pretrial inmates are held. State jail standards records from early 2022 showed the Menard County Jail certified for just eight beds and holding nobody, which suggests the county regularly places arrestees in a larger jail elsewhere under contract. Because the arrangement can change, think of it as the jail that serves Menard County and call the Sheriff's Office at (325) 396-4705 to learn where a person is being held and how to post bond.

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

Every level of the local court system in Menard County shares one address, the courthouse on East San Saba Avenue. The county is served by a single justice of the peace precinct, and that judge doubles as the local magistrate: after an arrest it is usually the justice of the peace who reads the warnings, takes any request for a lawyer and sets bail. The justice court also hears small claims, debt claims, evictions and truancy cases.

Justice of the Peace court

  • Menard County Justice of the Peace, 206 E. San Saba Ave. (P.O. Box 1095), Menard, TX 76859, (325) 396-2239

Municipal court

No municipal court for the City of Menard appears in the state court listings consulted for this guide. If a city officer issued the ticket and the citation names a city court, call Menard City Hall or the justice court above to find out where to answer it.

County and district courts

  • Menard County Court (constitutional county court; Class A and B misdemeanors and appeals from the justice court), 206 E. San Saba Ave., Menard, TX 76859, County Judge (325) 396-4789
  • 452nd District Court (felonies), sitting at the Menard County Courthouse, 206 E. San Saba Ave., Menard, TX 76859; District Clerk (325) 396-4682

The District and County Clerk is a single combined office in Menard County, so one counter handles both felony and misdemeanor files. Someone who loses before the Menard justice of the peace can start over in front of the County Judge, but only by filing an appeal bond quickly after the judgment.

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

U.S. 83 and U.S. 190 cross in the town of Menard, and many of the county's misdemeanor arrests involve travelers on those highways: DWI, possession of marijuana and driving with an invalid license. Local cases include theft, trespass on ranch land and family violence assaults.

Release

After an arrest, the Sheriff's Office books the person and arranges a magistrate hearing within 48 hours, often in front of the justice of the peace. The person may be housed in Menard County Jail only briefly before being moved to a contract jail. The magistrate sets bail, which can be paid in cash, posted by a licensed bondsman, or replaced by a personal bond. Ask the Sheriff's Office which bondsmen write bonds for Menard County cases.

Case flow

The County Attorney files the charge, and the case goes on the County Judge's docket. Because the County Judge also runs county government, criminal settings happen on scheduled court days rather than daily. Plea bargaining is common. A defendant may demand a jury trial before six local jurors, whose verdict must be unanimous, or ask the judge to decide. A Menard County misdemeanor might be dismissed or diverted, end in deferred adjudication or probation, or bring a fine or a jail term, and any jail time is served in whatever facility the Sheriff is using under contract.

Penalties

  • Theft: taking property worth less than $100 is a ticket-level Class C; the County Judge can impose up to 180 days and $2,000 for Class B theft of $100 to under $750, and up to a year and $4,000 for Class A theft of $750 to under $2,500.
  • First DWI: a Class B charge on the County Court docket in Menard, carrying three days to six months in jail and a fine as high as $3,000, though first offenders are usually given probation. A 0.15 alcohol level raises it to Class A; an open container carries a six-day minimum. A license suspension, a separate administrative license case, a DWI education class, an ignition interlock and a state traffic fine after conviction are all possible.
  • Assault causing bodily injury: Class A; when the victim is a family or household member, firearm restrictions follow and a repeat offense can become a felony.
  • Criminal trespass: Class B in most cases, and Class A if it involves a habitation or a deadly weapon.

Misdemeanors in Menard County generally conclude within two to six months. A defendant who cannot afford a lawyer can request appointed counsel from the County Court through the clerk at (325) 396-4682.

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

Felonies in Menard County are part of a regional system. The 452nd District Court and the 452nd District Attorney each cover five counties, so the judge holds court in Menard on scheduled terms and spends the rest of the time in Brady, Junction, Mason and Rocksprings.

  1. Arrest and bond. The arrested person sees a magistrate within 48 hours, and the magistrate considers the public safety report required by the Damon Allen Act before setting conditions. Felony defendants can request an appointed lawyer at this hearing.
  2. Grand jury. The District Attorney presents the case to a Menard County grand jury, which meets only periodically. Waiting for the grand jury is one reason felony cases in small districts take time.
  3. District court proceedings. After indictment, the 452nd District Court arraigns the defendant and sets hearings for motions and plea discussions on its Menard docket days.
  4. Plea or trial. Most cases end in a plea agreement. A felony jury has twelve members, the verdict must be unanimous, and the defendant may choose jury sentencing.

Punishment

  • State jail felony: six months to two years in a state jail and a fine of no more than $10,000, the level for stealing $2,500 to $30,000 in ranch equipment or holding less than a gram of methamphetamine or cocaine.
  • Third degree carries two to ten years in prison. Second degree, the grade for breaking into a home and for most aggravated assaults, carries two to twenty. First degree runs from five years up to 99 or life.
  • Drug offenses in the 452nd District rise in seriousness with the substance's penalty group and the quantity seized.

First-time defendants are often eligible for deferred adjudication. Prior felonies can raise the punishment range. Most prison sentences become parole-eligible after one-quarter of the time with good conduct credit, but "3g" offenses require half. Because the judge visits Menard on a rotating schedule, a felony here often takes from six months to a year and a half to finish. Menard County appoints private lawyers for indigent felony defendants under its indigent defense plan; requests go to the 452nd District Court through the District Clerk at (325) 396-4682.

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

Serious violent crimes are rare in Menard County, but when they occur the 452nd District Attorney's office takes the lead, often with help from the Texas Rangers. A personal bond is not allowed for a violent offense, and the 2025 constitutional amendment permits a judge to deny bail entirely in some violent and sexual cases after a hearing. A defendant who stays in custody is held in the jail that serves Menard County, which may be in another county.

  • Capital murder: life without parole or death.
  • Murder: punished as a first-degree felony with five to 99 years, or life, in prison.
  • Sexual assault: second-degree felony, with sex offender registration; aggravated sexual assault is first degree and can carry a 25-year minimum when the victim is a young child.
  • Aggravated robbery: first degree; parole review only after half the sentence.

Such cases often take one to three years, and a trial may require summoning a larger jury panel than the county usually needs. Victims are entitled to notice and a voice in the proceedings under article I, section 30 of the Texas Constitution. Defendants who cannot pay for a lawyer receive appointed counsel; for capital cases, the county can rely on the Regional Public Defender for Capital Cases.

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Juveniles (under 17) arrested in Menard County

When a Menard County youngster is accused of an offense, the juvenile system applies only if the child was 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 on the date in question; a 17-year-old is an adult under Texas criminal law.

Intake

A juvenile probation officer serving Menard County screens every referral from the Sheriff's Office or a school. Like other sparsely populated counties, Menard typically relies on a juvenile probation department shared with neighboring counties. Options at that stage include a warning and release to the family, a deferred prosecution agreement, or a referral that leaves the decision on a formal petition to the prosecutor. The juvenile court is the court the county's juvenile board has designated, usually the County Court or the 452nd District Court; the clerk at (325) 396-4682 can confirm.

Detention

Menard County has no juvenile detention facility of its own. When detention is necessary, the child is usually driven to a certified regional center under contract, for example in San Angelo or Kerrville. Within two working days a juvenile judge reviews whether the child should stay detained, and a lawyer represents the child at that hearing.

Outcomes

  • Deferred prosecution with up to six months of supervision.
  • Probation, possibly including counseling, community service or a residential placement.
  • For felony-level conduct, placement with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) in one of its state-run secure facilities.
  • Determinate sentencing for listed serious offenses, which can continue into adult prison.

The State may ask to certify a youth to stand trial as an adult: in general, at 14 or older for capital felonies, first-degree felonies and aggravated controlled substance felonies, and at 15 or older for other felonies. Records from a Menard County juvenile case are shielded from the public, and sealing is frequently possible later.

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

Federal law assigns Menard County to the Northern District of Texas, and within that district to the San Angelo Division, whose courthouse is roughly an hour's drive northwest of Menard.

  • U.S. District Court clerk, San Angelo, 33 E. Twohig Ave., Room 202, San Angelo, TX 76903, (325) 655-4506
  • U.S. Attorney's Office, Lubbock (the office that covers the San Angelo Division), 1205 Texas Ave., Suite 700, Lubbock, TX 79401, (806) 472-7351
  • Appointed counsel: if the defendant cannot pay, the magistrate judge assigns either a federal defender or a lawyer from the district's Criminal Justice Act list

Federal charges from a rural county

Federal prosecutions from Menard County are uncommon. They tend to involve drug or human smuggling loads moving north on U.S. 83, firearms possessed by people with felony records, wildlife or federal land violations, and internet crimes against children. Federal agents and the U.S. Attorney decide whether a case stays local or goes federal.

What to expect

A Menard County defendant's first stop in federal court is a U.S. magistrate judge, who reads the charge and sees that a lawyer is in place. Commercial bail bondsmen, a fixture of county courts, have no part in federal release decisions. A government request to hold the defendant leads to a detention hearing, usually no more than three court days later, at which the magistrate weighs Bail Reform Act factors and either sets conditions for Pretrial Services to enforce or orders custody. A defendant first charged by complaint must face a grand jury indictment within 30 days, and while the Speedy Trial Act aims for trial within 70 days, that clock stops for many routine reasons. Most federal defendants from rural West Texas plead guilty instead of facing a unanimous twelve-member jury. At sentencing the judge relies on a presentence investigation, the advisory Guidelines and any statutory minimum term; federal parole no longer exists, and a Menard County defendant can expect to spend about 85 percent of the sentence locked up before a stretch of supervised release. The Fifth Circuit reviews appeals.

Locating the person

Relatives can look for a Menard County federal defendant in the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, entering either a full name or the register number. While a case is pending, the U.S. Marshals often board defendants in county jails, and those people can also appear on the roster of the jail where they are kept. Federal juvenile cases are rare; a Menard County youth is nearly always handled under state law.

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This guide to criminal courts in Menard County is general information, not legal advice, and arrangements such as where inmates are housed can change. Anyone needing appointed counsel should say so to the magistrate or phone the combined District and County Clerk's office at (325) 396-4682; the Sheriff's Office at (325) 396-4705 answers questions about where a person is held.

Criminal Court Process for Menard County Texas

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