Travis County Criminal Court hears all criminal cases in Travis County. Below you will find specific information about criminal cases and how they are handled in Travis County.
Travis County Criminal Court locations
Criminal proceedings take place in the Travis County Criminal Courts. A list of the criminal courts are located here.
Can I request a Plea Agreement?
In Travis County you may be able to enter into a plea agreement depending upon the severity of the charges. It is also dependant upon the prosecution willing to accept a plea agreement. You can ask your attorney to attempt to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecution to avoid having a jury trial along with the potential for a more serious sentence. Approximately 9 out of 10 criminal cases usually end in a plea agreement.
Travis County Criminal Court
Right to an attorney
The US Constitution’s Sixth Amendment ensures the right to an attorney regardless of whether or not you can afford one. In Travis County a public defender will be appointed by the judge if you cannot afford private representation.
The Right to Trial by Jury
The Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the right to a trial by a jury. This is applicable for when the crime can carry a sentence of 6 months in jail OR a $500 fine, these are known as “Serious Crimes”. The defendant can also waive their right to a speedy and public trial.
Burden of Proof
The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in a criminal trial. In other words, the prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the crime. The defense must only prove that there is a reasonable possibility that the defendant did NOT commit the crime. If the prosecution cannot prove that the defendant committed the crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the jury will be instructed to find the defendant not-guilty.
Jury Deliberations in Travis County
In Travis County, jury deliberations will take place in a jury trial after the prosecution and defense have presented their cases and rested. At this point, the judge will provide a list of instructions to the jury about what they are allowed and not allowed to do and what verdict options are available for them to decide. The jury will be sent to a private room to discuss the evidence presented in the case and attempt to reach a unaminous decision. When a unaminous decision is reached, the jury will inform the judge that they have reached a verdict and will return to the courtroom for the verdict to be read allowed. In the event that the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury results in a deadlock and a mistrial is declared.
Can I appeal a guilty verdict?
If found guilty, a defendant may decide to appeal his case to an appelate court. The appellate court will not retry the case, they will examine the proceedings in the lower court to make sure they were done in a legal manner. The appellate court can either uphold the original conviction, or determine that due to errors made in the original trial, that there must be a retrial, resentencing or a complete dismissal of the charges.
Defendant Sentencing
At a sentence hearing the judge will inform the defendant of the sentence that will be imposed. This sometimes occurs at the same hearing in which the defendant is found guilty (either by trial or plea agreement). In can also occur at a later date, most often this is due to the complexity of the case where more time is needed to determine the appropriate sentence.
Who can help me in Travis County?
For general information about your case the Travis County court clerk will be able to provide legal information about your specific criminal case. Legal information is not legal advice though, the court clerk will only be able to provide information about your case, like date/time of hearings what will occur at the hearing and what you may be required to do in the hearing. They cannot provide advice about what you should do or what the best legal options may be for your particular case. Only an attorney can provide legal advice and this is your best place for information about your specific criminal proceeding. If you cannot afford to hire a private attorney to represent you, a judge will appoint an attorney to represent you, this is most often a public defender.
Arraignments in Travis County
During an arraignment in Travis County, a defendant appears before the court and the judge reads the charges that have been filed against the accused and also informs the defendant of his/her rights. During the arraignment in Travis County, the defendant can choose to plead one of the following 1) Guilty 2) Not Guilty or 3) No Contest. If the defendant enters a plea of Not Guilty, a date for trial is set. In the event of a Guilty or No Contest Plea in Travis County the defendant may be sentenced at that time or the sentencing may take place at a later date.
Required Court Appearances in Travis County
Any required court appearances in Travis County Criminal Court must be attended by the defendant. Failure to appear in court at your required date and time may result in the judge issuing an arrest warrant.
Travis County Prosecutor
For criminal cases in Travis County, the prosecutor will be a representative of Travis County. The Travis County prosecutor reviews all evidence and ultimately decides whether to file or dismiss charges in the case. Most of the time, the prosecutor has leeway in plea negotiations and determines how the case will be prosecuted.
Travis County Criminal Court Locations
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Travis County 53rd District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 4th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9308 Fax: 512-854-9332 -
Travis County 98th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 5th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9307 Fax: 512-854-9338 -
Travis County 126th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 4th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9313 Fax: 512-854-9332 -
Travis County 147th District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 7th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9420 Fax: 512-854-6495 -
Travis County 167th District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 8th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-5815 Fax: (512) 854-6425 -
Travis County 200th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 5th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9306 Fax: 512-854-4523 -
Travis County 201st District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 5th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9305 Fax: 512-854-2268 -
Travis County 250th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 4th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9312 Fax: 512-854-2469 -
Travis County 261st District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 3rd Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9309 Fax: 512-854-9332 -
Travis County 299th District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 8th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9442 Fax: 512-854-6494 -
Travis County 331st District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 9th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9443 Fax: 512-854-9140 -
Travis County 345th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 4th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9374 Fax: 512-854-4540 -
Travis County 353rd District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 5th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9380 Fax: 512-854-9332 -
Travis County 390th District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 7th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9420 Fax: (512) 854-4680 -
Travis County 403rd District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 6th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9808 Fax: 512-854-4683 -
Travis County 419th District Court – Civil
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, 3rd Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-4023 Fax: 512-854-2224 -
Travis County 427th District Court – Criminal
Address: 509 W 11th, 3rd Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-3663 Fax: 512-854-2227 -
Travis County Associate Civil Court
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-2484 Fax: 512-854-9332 -
Travis County District Clerk Office
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 679003, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9457 Fax: 512-854-9549 -
Travis County Magistrate Criminal Court
Address: 509 W 11th, 9th Floor, PO Box 1748, Austin TX 78767
Phone: 512-854-9099 Fax: 512-854-9140 -
Travis County Constitutional Court
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Civil Court at Law No. 1
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Civil Court at Law No. 2
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 3
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 4
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 5
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 6
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 7
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Criminal Court at Law No. 8
Address: 1000 Guadalupe St, PO Box 149325, Austin TX 78714
Phone: 512-854-9188 -
Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
Address: 4717 Heflin Lane, #107, Austin TX 78721
Phone: 512-854-7700 Fax: 512-929-3047 -
Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
Address: 10409 Burnet Rd, #180, Austin TX 78758
Phone: 512-854-4545 Fax: 512-854-4535 -
Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
Address: 8656-B W Hwy 71, Austin TX 78735
Phone: 512-854-6763 Fax: 512-854-2197 -
Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4
Address: 4011 McKinney Falls Pkwy, #1200, Austin TX 78744
Phone: 512-854-9478 (Civil) Fax: 512-854-9480 -
Travis County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5
Address: 1000 Guadalupe, #112, Austin TX 78701
Phone: 512-854-9050 (Civil) Fax: 512-854-4020 -
Downtown Austin Community Court
Address: 719 E 6th St, PO Box 13464, Austin TX 78711
Phone: 512-974-4879 -
Austin Municipal Court
Address: 700 E 7th St, PO Box 2135, Austin TX 78768
Phone: 512-974-4800 Fax: 512-974-4882 -
Bee Cave Municipal Court
Address: 4000 Galleria Pkwy, Bee Cave TX 78738
Phone: 512-767-6630 Fax: 512-767-6639 -
Briarcliff Municipal Court
Address: 402 Sleat Dr, Briarcliff TX 78669
Phone: 512-264-2274 -
Jonestown Municipal Court
Address: 18649 FM 1431, #4A, Jonestown TX 78645
Phone: 512-267-3243 Fax: 512-267-4572 -
Lago Vista Municipal Court
Address: 5803 Thunderbird, PO Box 4727, Lago Vista TX 78645
Phone: 512-267-1155 -
Lakeway Municipal Court
Address: 104 Cross Creek, Lakeway TX 78734
Phone: 512-314-7560 Fax: 512-314-7572 -
Manor Municipal Court
Address: 201 E Parsons St, PO Box 589, Manor TX 78653
Phone: 512-272-8178 Fax: 512-278-1212 -
Mustang Ridge Municipal Court
Address: 12800 Hwy 183 S, Mustang Ridge TX 78610
Phone: 512-243-1775 -
Pflugerville Municipal Court
Address: 1611 Pfenning Lane, PO Box 679, Pflugerville TX 78691
Phone: 512-251-4191 Fax: 512-670-5597 -
Rollingwood Municipal Court
Address: 403 Nixon Dr, Rollingwood TX 78746
Phone: 512-328-7200 Fax: 512-327-1869 -
Sunset Valley Municipal Court
Address: 3205 Jones Road, Sunset Valley TX 78745
Phone: 512-892-1389 Fax: 512-892-6108 -
Village of Point Venture Municipal Court
Address: 18606 Venture Drive, Point Venture TX 78645
Phone: 512-267-5511 -
West Lake Hills Municipal Court
Address: 911 Westlake Dr, West Lake Hills TX 78746
Phone: 512-327-1862 Fax: 512-327-1863