Upton County Jail Criminal Court Process
Criminal Court Process for Upton County Texas
Upton County Criminal Court Guide
Adults charged anywhere in this oil-and-ranch corner of the Permian Basin are held before trial at the Upton County Jail, 1106 North Grand Street, Rankin, TX 79778, which the Sheriff's Office runs. Here you'll learn which judge takes which kind of charge, from the four JP benches to the 112th District Court, and how a case travels from warnings to sentencing.
Check custody first with Texas IVSS-Counties, then confirm on the official jail search. On our Inmates in Custody page, Upton families can dig into the jail side of things: who was picked up lately, warrants, the meaning of each count, booking photos, appointed defense and claiming belongings.
Next, call Grand Street at 432-693-2422. Learn whether your person is still inside, whether the top count is a felony, and when the next setting falls. For a release before trial, Upton's bond steps are on our bail page.
1. Felony or misdemeanor: which Upton County court gets the case?
Texas ranks offenses, and the rank picks the court:
- Class C means a fine of no more than $500 and no jail time (PC 12.23). Upton's four JP courts split those cases by precinct.
- Class B and Class A cases are tried in Rankin before the County Judge, whose bench doubles as the constitutional County Court. Upton has no separate county court at law.
- Felonies, state jail felonies among them, go to the 112th District Court. Its plan for appointing lawyers is shared with Crockett, Reagan and Sutton counties.
Paperwork for both misdemeanors and felonies runs through a single combined office, the District and County Clerk, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2861.
↑ Back to the question list2. Upton courthouse and JP office addresses
Two buildings matter most. Hours differ office to office, so phone ahead.
- Upton County Courthouse, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2321. Inside, the District and County Clerk holds the criminal files, 432-693-2861, open business hours. The clerk can say which room and day a hearing is set.
- McCamey justice offices, 108 West 5th Street, McCamey, TX 79752. The Precinct 3 line is 432-652-4230 and Precinct 4 at 432-652-3536. Each keeps afternoon office hours, 1 to 5.
- JP Precinct 1, mailing address P.O. Box 232, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2473. Weekday mornings from 8 until noon.
- JP Precinct 2, mailing address P.O. Box 255, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2919. Phone to learn its days and office location.
3. Do McCamey and Rankin run their own city courts?
Every citation prints the court and an appearance date, so start there. If a city officer wrote it and the court is unclear, the city hall that employs the officer can sort it out:
- McCamey City Hall, P.O. Box 1409, McCamey, TX 79752, 432-652-3333.
- Rankin City Hall, P.O. Box 61, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2474.
A deputy's or trooper's ticket lands in the JP court for the precinct of the stop. Some precincts take ticket payments online through links on the county's JP courts page. Lose a Class C case in a JP or city court and you may appeal to the County Court, which hears it fresh, as if no trial had happened.
↑ Back to the question list4. The magistrate warnings: what happens in those first 48 hours?
No later than two days after the arrest, the person is brought before a magistrate, either in person or through a jail video hookup (CCP art. 15.17). That could be an Upton JP, the County Judge or the district judge. The warnings cover:
- the accusation in the complaint;
- a right to hire counsel, and the steps to get an appointed one when money is short;
- a right to silence, the risk that words will be used later, and the right to end questioning at any time;
- for a felony, the chance to ask a judge to weigh the evidence first, in what Texas calls an examining trial, before any grand jury vote (art. 16.01).
Bail is set at the same sitting. A 2025 amendment says a no-probable-cause ruling must be written up within 24 hours (art. 15.17(h)). Possible mental illness must reach the magistrate's desk from the jail within 12 hours (art. 16.22).
↑ Back to the question list5. Upton DWI, theft and assault cases in County Court
Class A and B cases usually begin with a deputy's or trooper's arrest. The County Attorney charges them in a document called an information. The County Judge then arraigns the defendant, who answers guilty, not guilty or nolo contendere (CCP art. 26.01).
Plea bargains settle much of the docket. The judge tells the accused up front whether the agreed terms will be honored, and a rejected deal lets them take the plea back (art. 26.13). Typical endings:
- Deferred adjudication. No guilty finding is entered. Finish the conditions, which on these charges can't run past two years, and dismissal follows (arts. 42A.101, 42A.103).
- Community supervision, the Texas word for probation, again for up to two years (art. 42A.053).
- Jail, a fine or both. For Class B, the cap is 180 days and $2,000. For Class A, it is one year and $4,000 (PC 12.21, 12.22).
Upton probationers report to the adult probation office at 111 West Gallagher, Fort Stockton, TX 79735, 432-336-8562.
↑ Back to the question list6. From complaint to verdict: an Upton County felony step by step
In Upton, the 112th District Attorney's office handles felony prosecutions, and the 112th District Court rules on them. The usual sequence:
- Magistration, with warnings and a bail ruling within two days.
- Examining trial, an optional defense request made before the grand jury meets.
- Upton grand jury. Nine grand jurors have to agree before an indictment, called a true bill, is returned (CCP art. 20A.301).
- Arraignment in the 112th, where the plea gets entered on the record.
- Pretrial motions and bargaining. Plea agreements close most felonies.
- Jury or bench trial when talks fail.
Penal Code chapter 12 sets the ranges, from the top down:
- First-degree crimes, the most serious short of capital, mean life or a term from 5 to 99 years.
- Second-degree crimes carry 2 to 20 years. Third-degree ones carry from 2 up to 10.
- The lowest felony, a state jail felony, brings 180 days up to 2 years.
- Fines of up to $10,000 can be stacked on top at each level.
Past felony records can bump the range up a level (PC 12.42). Felony deferred adjudication can stretch to ten years.
↑ Back to the question list7. Violent charges in the 112th: what is different?
Violent felonies use the same court, yet the rules tighten:
- Personal bonds are barred on the violent offenses that CCP art. 17.03 names.
- Bail may be withheld. Since Texas voters passed Proposition 3 in late 2025, a new section, Tex. Const. art. I, §11d, covers murder, aggravated robbery, trafficking and a handful of other violent crimes. If the DA's office shows at a hearing that the accused is likely to run, or poses a threat, the judge has to keep them jailed without bail.
- The state can appeal low bail. A 2025 law lets prosecutors challenge bail in listed violent cases. The appeal is decided inside 20 days, with no release in the meantime (art. 44.01).
- Capital murder brings a death sentence or life with no parole. A defendant who was under 18 receives life instead (PC 12.31).
Families of victims can ask the felony prosecutor for hearing notices: 112th District Attorney, 400 South Nelson, Fort Stockton, TX 79735, 432-336-6294.
↑ Back to the question list8. Upton County prosecutors and appointed defense lawyers
Upton charges come from one of two prosecutors:
- 112th District Attorney (felonies), 400 South Nelson, Fort Stockton, TX 79735, 432-336-6294. A second office is at P.O. Box 1187, Ozona, TX 76943, 325-392-2025.
- County Attorney (misdemeanors), at the courthouse, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2222. Mail goes to P.O. Box 890.
Upton has no public defender. Appointed cases rotate through private attorneys on the judges' lists. The request form comes from the magistrate or from the District and County Clerk. Expect a name by the third working day after the form is received. By the end of the following workday, appointed counsel should have tried to reach the client (CCP arts. 1.051, 26.04).
Felony appointments track the Crockett, Reagan, Sutton and Upton District Court plan, and misdemeanors track a county court plan. Read both through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission, 209 West 14th Street, Room 202, Austin, TX 78701, 512-936-6994.
↑ Back to the question list9. Upton case records and hearing dates: where to look
The District and County Clerk links a public court records portal that covers criminal and civil cases; search by party name. Staff at 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2861, will confirm a setting by phone on workdays.
- Class C tickets: phone the JP court shown on the citation.
- re:SearchTX, the state courts' records site, shows charges and judgments to anyone who signs up, free. It won't give hearing dates.
- Defense counsel receives each notice, so the lawyer's office often knows the next date first.
Settings get moved. Recheck a day or two ahead.
↑ Back to the question list10. Upton County warrants: how to check, how to settle one
Warrants anywhere in Upton are served by the Sheriff's deputies. To learn if one is pending, phone the Rankin office of the Sheriff, 432-693-2422, or the McCamey Substation, 108 West 5th Street, McCamey, TX 79752, 432-652-8222. For the statewide picture, DPS runs a Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitive page. Any court that issued a warrant will confirm it by phone. A lawyer should guide any surrender, which happens at 1106 North Grand Street, Rankin, TX 79778, or a request to the court to reset the date. Felony and County Court warrant files belong to the combined District and County Clerk, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2861.
↑ Back to the question list11. Federal charges from Upton County: where do they go?
Federal crimes from Upton are filed in Midland, where the Western District of Texas runs its Midland-Odessa Division. U.S. District Clerk: 200 East Wall, Room 222, Midland, TX 79701, 432-686-4001.
- First appearance. The accused stands before a U.S. magistrate judge, who covers the charge and custody. Any detention hearing must come within days (18 U.S.C. 3142).
- Custody. Pretrial detainees answer to the U.S. Marshals Service, 200 East Wall Street, Suite 213, Midland, TX 79701, 432-686-4100.
- Prosecutors. The Western District's U.S. Attorney is headquartered at 601 NW Loop 410, Suite 600, San Antonio, TX 78216, 210-384-7100.
- Defenders. The district's Federal Public Defender has its head office at 300 Convent Street, Room 2300, San Antonio, TX 78205, 210-472-6700.
After sentencing, the federal BOP inmate locator tracks the prisoner.
↑ Back to the question list12. ICE detainers and an Upton court case
The state charge goes on. An immigration hold only matters when the jail would otherwise let the person go:
- ICE sends the Upton jail a written detainer, Form I-247A.
- The Sheriff's jailers can keep the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
- Texas law, CCP art. 2A.060, says detainers are honored. Proof of being a citizen, or of lawful status, frees the person from that hold. GC 752.053, on the books since 2017, stops any county or city from restricting immigration enforcement.
- Senate Bill 8 (2025) adds a deadline: by December 1, 2026, each sheriff with a jail is supposed to have applied to join the 287(g) program. Upton's Sheriff's Office, 432-693-2422, can describe where it stands.
- Once ICE has custody, the ICE Online Detainee Locator shows which detention center holds them.
A guilty plea may affect immigration status down the road, so make sure defense counsel knows a detainer exists.
↑ Back to the question list13. Sentenced to TDCJ or a state jail: what comes next?
State jail sentences are served at a state jail unit. Degree felonies are served in TDCJ prisons. After the judge pronounces sentence, the person usually waits on Grand Street for a transfer date, then passes through TDCJ intake before a unit is chosen.
- Someone still waiting in Rankin won't show on the TDCJ inmate search until they arrive at a state unit. Its data refreshes only on workdays.
- For a broader look, see our Texas state prisons listing.
14. How are cases against teenagers handled here?
Any Texan from age 10 through age 16 at the time of the alleged act belongs in juvenile court; the adult system starts at 17 (FC 51.02). A juvenile board serving Crockett, Reagan and Upton picks the court that hears these cases.
- Parents get a call soon after police take a child (FC 52.02).
- Detention hearing. A judge decides on custody by the second working day, or sooner, the first working day, after a weekend-eve pickup on Friday or Saturday. The child gets appointed counsel beforehand (FC 54.01).
- Adult court. Prosecutors can seek a transfer at 14 for the most serious felonies. At 15, any felony can qualify (FC 54.02).
Upton/Reagan Juvenile Probation is based in the courthouse, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2170. Staff there know which detention center is holding a youth.
↑ Back to the question list15. Help for Upton crime victims and their families
CCP art. 56A.051 gives victims the right to have safety weighed at bail, to request word of each hearing and to submit an impact statement. Reach out to the office prosecuting the case. Misdemeanors go to the County Attorney, 205 East 10th Street, Rankin, TX 79778, 432-693-2222. Felonies go to the 112th District Attorney, 400 South Nelson, Fort Stockton, TX 79735, 432-336-6294.
- Release alerts. The state's Texas IVSS-Counties service calls or emails registered users when custody status changes. Phone help runs 24/7 in English and Spanish at 866-268-8959.
- Money for losses. Up to $50,000 for medical care, counseling and missed pay may come from Crime Victims' Compensation, a Texas Attorney General program. Apply or ask questions at 800-983-9933.
Criminal Court Process for Upton County Texas
Upton 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 Upton 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, Upton 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 Upton 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 Upton 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, Upton County or a city or town. The prosecuting attorney for Upton 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 Upton 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 Upton 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 Upton 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.
