What is the lowest level court in a Texas county?

Answer 1

Municipal Courts and Justice Courts are the lowest level courts in any given county. Which of these courts is considered the "lowest" varies county to county. Some smaller counties may not have municipal courts (such as Borden and Mills counties), and some counties may not have Justice Courts (such as Dallas County), so it is hard to say that one is lower than the other.

Generally, though, Municipal Courts and Justice Courts hear the lowest level of civil cases (such as small claims) and minor criminal matters, such as misdemeanor offenses and municipal ordinance violations, and felony preliminary hearings. the precise jurisdiction of a particular Municipal or Justice court depends greatly on the particular county, as each county divides jurisdiction between its various courts. For a directory of trial courts in Texas by county, and a general description of the general jurisdiction of each type of court, visit the Texas Courts Guide related link.