(a) In accordance with Section 1, Chapter VIII of the Dallas city charter and Chapter 30 of the Texas Government Code, there is hereby created a municipal court of record, which is divided into 16 divisions to be designated as Municipal Court of Record No. 1, Municipal Court of Record No. 2, Municipal Court of Record No. 3, Municipal Court of Record No. 4, Municipal Court of Record No. 5, Municipal Court of Record No. 6, Municipal Court of Record No. 7, Municipal Court of Record No. 8, Municipal Court of Record No. 9, Municipal Court of Record No. 10, Municipal Court of Record No. 11, Community Court No. 12, Community Court No. 13, Community Court No. 14, Community Court No. 15, and Community Court No. 16.
(b) Each municipal court of record division shall have and exercise concurrent jurisdiction with the other municipal court of record divisions, the jurisdiction being that which is conferred upon all municipal courts and municipal courts of record by Chapter 30 of the Texas Government Code and other state law.
(c) Jurisdiction under Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Texas Local Government Code.
(1) In addition to the jurisdiction granted in Subsection (b) of this section and in accordance with Section 30.00005 of the Texas Government Code, each municipal court of record division has concurrent jurisdiction with a district court or a county court at law under Subchapter B, Chapter 54, Texas Local Government Code, within the city’s territorial limits and property owned by the city located in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing health and safety and nuisance abatement ordinances.
(2) The municipal clerk is authorized to charge and collect fees and costs of court for litigation filed in municipal court pursuant to Subchapter B, Chapter 54 of the Texas Local Government Code. The fees and costs charged and collected will be the same as those authorized by law to be collected by a clerk of a county court.
(3) Any party in a case filed under this subsection has the right to appeal the decision of the municipal court by filing a verified petition in state district court alleging error in the municipal court’s decision. The petition must be filed within 30 calendar days after the municipal court issues its ruling, or else the municipal court’s decision will become final. An appeal in state district court is limited to a hearing under the substantial evidence rule.
(d) The municipal court of record divisions may be in concurrent and continuous session, either day or night. (Ord. Nos. 7429; 15603; 16661; 19802; 24763; 24946; 24978; 25496; 25927; 27438; 27706; 27823; 30769)