ASSOCIATE JUDGE

Summary

Jail Magistrate Judge

Performs judicial and magisterial duties involving persons arrested and detained in the County Jail. Conducts magistration proceedings in accordance with the Texas Constitution, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, applicable provisions of the Texas Family Code and Government Code, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws. Reviews arrest information and other legally relevant information; advises arrested persons of statutory and constitutional rights; determines eligibility for release and sets bail and conditions of release within the authority granted by law; issues and signs warrants, orders, and other authorized judicial process; conducts hearings; and performs other judicial functions assigned by law or by the appointing authority.

Essential functions include performing timely jail magistration under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, setting bail, conditions of bond, Emergency Protective Orders and other ancillary orders as required during the magistrate process, reviewing arrest affidavits, probable-cause information, warrants, charging documents, criminal-history information, and other materials presented for consideration during magistration proceedings, advising arrested persons, in clear language, of applicable rights and statutory warnings, making individualized bail determinations based upon applicable statutory and constitutional requirements and considering legally required factors in determining the appropriate form and amount of bail and any conditions of release, imposing legally authorized conditions of release when appropriate, issuing, signing, modifying, recalling, and/or executing warrants, orders, commitments, releases, and other judicial process within the scope of the position's lawful authority, ensuring that bail determinations are sufficiently supported by the information available at the time of magistration and that required bail forms, findings, conditions, and supporting documentation are complete and accurate, accepting pleas, determining fines and costs, credits time served, and discharging defendants in applicable fine-only cases, ensuring that orders and other judicial documents are properly executed, distributed, and filed with the appropriate court, jail, law-enforcement agency, or other governmental entity, reviewing mental health questionnaires and supporting documentation carefully, coordinating with pretrial personnel, Sheriff's Office personnel, jail administration, prosecutors, defense counsel, court personnel, law-enforcement agencies, and other governmental entities as necessary to facilitate timely and lawful magistration, participating in the County's established blood warrant rotation and remaining available to review and act upon requests for blood or other evidentiary search warrants during assigned rotation periods, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other non-business hours, accessing, utilizing and entering data into the Texas Public Safety Report System (PSRS) as required by Texas law in connection with bail determinations and magistration proceedings, reviewing and considering information available through the PSRS when making bail determinations for applicable offenses, completing all required bail forms electronically and accurately documenting the bail type, amount, conditions of bail, and required certifications, maintaining proficiency in the use of the PSRS and completing required training or system updates necessary to perform the duties of the position, remaining current regarding changes in Texas statutes, court rules, case law, judicial procedures, and other legal requirements affecting magistration and bail, completing all training and continuing-education requirements applicable to the position, maintaining professional competence and complying with applicable judicial ethics requirements, including requirements concerning impartiality, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and professional conduct, performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned by law or the appointing authority, and maintaining appropriate activity records and providing an annual report to the Board of Criminal Judges regarding the operation and workload of the Jail Magistrate function, including activity trends, workload measures, statutory compliance, and recommendations for operational improvements.

Minimum requirements include being a law school graduate and licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Texas and in good standing, being a resident of McLennan County and the State of Texas, having been licensed to practice law in Texas for at least five (5) years, having one year experience in County and District Criminal Courts, obtaining TLETS (Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) ID, and taking the 8 hours TLETS/TCIC Mobile Access Training, passing the test, and becoming TLETS certified, taking the CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Service) 2 hour Security Awareness Training and passing exam, completing the 8 hour Judicial Education course for setting bail within 90 days from taking office, proficiency in the electronic systems necessary to perform the duties of the position, including the Texas Public Safety Report System, electronic court and case-management systems, criminal-history information systems, electronic document systems, videoconferencing platforms, and standard office productivity software, working effectively with judges, attorneys, prosecutors, law-enforcement officers, jail and court personnel, defendants, victims, and the public, and not engaging in the private practice of law or providing legal services in a private capacity during the period of appointment or employment in this position.

Environmental factors include working under time pressures to meet deadlines, frequently changing tasks, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, and working closely with others as part of a team. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Majority of work is indoors in office environment. Work at the jail includes contact with inmates without close supervision from the correctional officers. Continuous contact in the office with the public and persons accused or convicted of crimes. Physical demand requirements include some light lifting, bending, standing, walking and prolonged sitting. Vision (ability to read police reports and normal printed material), understandable coherent speech and hearing. Hours/special conditions include working Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on-call rotation to include nights, weekends and holidays.

Job Description

Jail Magistrate Judge

Performs judicial and magisterial duties involving persons arrested and detained in the County Jail. Conducts magistration proceedings in accordance with the Texas Constitution, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, applicable provisions of the Texas Family Code and Government Code, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws. Reviews arrest information and other legally relevant information; advises arrested persons of statutory and constitutional rights; determines eligibility for release and sets bail and conditions of release within the authority granted by law; issues and signs warrants, orders, and other authorized judicial process; conducts hearings; and performs other judicial functions assigned by law or by the appointing authority.

Essential functions include performing timely jail magistration under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, setting bail, conditions of bond, Emergency Protective Orders and other ancillary orders as required during the magistrate process, reviewing arrest affidavits, probable-cause information, warrants, charging documents, criminal-history information, and other materials presented for consideration during magistration proceedings, advising arrested persons, in clear language, of applicable rights and statutory warnings, making individualized bail determinations based upon applicable statutory and constitutional requirements and considering legally required factors in determining the appropriate form and amount of bail and any conditions of release, imposing legally authorized conditions of release when appropriate, issuing, signing, modifying, recalling, and/or executing warrants, orders, commitments, releases, and other judicial process within the scope of the position's lawful authority, ensuring that bail determinations are sufficiently supported by the information available at the time of magistration and that required bail forms, findings, conditions, and supporting documentation are complete and accurate, accepting pleas, determining fines and costs, credits time served, and discharging defendants in applicable fine-only cases, ensuring that orders and other judicial documents are properly executed, distributed, and filed with the appropriate court, jail, law-enforcement agency, or other governmental entity, reviewing mental health questionnaires and supporting documentation carefully, coordinating with pretrial personnel, Sheriff's Office personnel, jail administration, prosecutors, defense counsel, court personnel, law-enforcement agencies, and other governmental entities as necessary to facilitate timely and lawful magistration, participating in the County's established blood warrant rotation and remaining available to review and act upon requests for blood or other evidentiary search warrants during assigned rotation periods, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other non-business hours, accessing, utilizing and entering data into the Texas Public Safety Report System (PSRS) as required by Texas law in connection with bail determinations and magistration proceedings, reviewing and considering information available through the PSRS when making bail determinations for applicable offenses, completing all required bail forms electronically and accurately documenting the bail type, amount, conditions of bail, and required certifications, maintaining proficiency in the use of the PSRS and completing required training or system updates necessary to perform the duties of the position, remaining current regarding changes in Texas statutes, court rules, case law, judicial procedures, and other legal requirements affecting magistration and bail, completing all training and continuing-education requirements applicable to the position, maintaining professional competence and complying with applicable judicial ethics requirements, including requirements concerning impartiality, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and professional conduct, performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned by law or the appointing authority, and maintaining appropriate activity records and providing an annual report to the Board of Criminal Judges regarding the operation and workload of the Jail Magistrate function, including activity trends, workload measures, statutory compliance, and recommendations for operational improvements.

Minimum requirements include being a law school graduate and licensed to practice law by the State Bar of Texas and in good standing, being a resident of McLennan County and the State of Texas, having been licensed to practice law in Texas for at least five (5) years, having one year experience in County and District Criminal Courts, obtaining TLETS (Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System) ID, and taking the 8 hours TLETS/TCIC Mobile Access Training, passing the test, and becoming TLETS certified, taking the CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Service) 2 hour Security Awareness Training and passing exam, completing the 8 hour Judicial Education course for setting bail within 90 days from taking office, proficiency in the electronic systems necessary to perform the duties of the position, including the Texas Public Safety Report System, electronic court and case-management systems, criminal-history information systems, electronic document systems, videoconferencing platforms, and standard office productivity software, working effectively with judges, attorneys, prosecutors, law-enforcement officers, jail and court personnel, defendants, victims, and the public, and not engaging in the private practice of law or providing legal services in a private capacity during the period of appointment or employment in this position.

Environmental factors include working under time pressures to meet deadlines, frequently changing tasks, performing multiple tasks simultaneously, and working closely with others as part of a team. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Majority of work is indoors in office environment. Work at the jail includes contact with inmates without close supervision from the correctional officers. Continuous contact in the office with the public and persons accused or convicted of crimes. Physical demand requirements include some light lifting, bending, standing, walking and prolonged sitting. Vision (ability to read police reports and normal printed material), understandable coherent speech and hearing. Hours/special conditions include working Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on-call rotation to include nights, weekends and holidays.