Here’s a trivia question for you: Other than a speeding ticket, what might prompt someone to visit the City of Victoria Municipal Court?

The Municipal Court has jurisdiction over Class C misdemeanor cases, including traffic violations. However, some residents might not be aware of the other things we handle—and others ask us for help with things that should really be addressed by someone else.

As an example, Victoria County Animal Services (not the court) is in charge of responding to and correcting animal-related issues, including City code violations, as part of an interlocal agreement between the City and the County. However, Animal Services does utilize the Municipal Court for legal proceedings and penalties in animal-related cases, and it can be helpful for residents to understand those processes when making a report.

Nuisance animals: If a dog is running loose or digging holes on your property, you’ll want to get in touch with Animal Services so they can pick the dog up or contact the owner. You can also choose to file a complaint with the Municipal Court, which can be used in any legal proceedings against the owner (these cases are within the court’s jurisdiction and are punishable by fine).

Aggressive animals: If you’re reporting an aggressive animal to Animal Services, you can also come to the court to file an affidavit that can be used as legal evidence. Regardless of who receives the initial report—Municipal Court, Animal Services or the Victoria Police Department— each department will forward that information to the city prosecutor so that the situation can be reviewed and considered in its entirety.

Animal cruelty: Because animal cruelty is a felony, the Municipal Court does not handle these cases. Animal cruelty cases should be reported to the Victoria Police Department so they can be prosecuted by the district attorney. That being said, once a case has been filed, our court will hold a civil hearing to determine whether to confiscate the animal.

Here are some other common requests that get brought to us by mistake:

• Marriage licenses: Marriage licenses can be obtained at the Victoria County courthouse, 115 N. Bridge St. (specifically, the county clerk’s office). 
• Vehicle registrations and disabled parking placards: These requests are handled by the Victoria County Tax Office, 205 N. Bridge St. (the big brown building next to the courthouse).
• Birth certificates: These requests are handled by the City Secretary’s Office, 105 W Juan Linn (adjacent to the Municipal Court). 

Now for some things the court does that you might not know about:

• Car seat inspections: Are your kids buckled up properly? The Municipal Court coordinates the City’s car seat inspection program, where our certified child passenger safety technicians can help you determine what kind of seat you need and how to install it. To sign up for a free inspection, visit www.victoriatx.gov/carseat. 
• Jury duty (for municipal cases): Check the address on the jury summons to make sure you appear at the right location. If you see City of Victoria Municipal Court, we’ll see you at 107 W. Juan Linn St. We look forward to hosting you!
• Educational outreach: The court partners with local schools and community organizations to host mock trials, impaired driving simulations and other educational activities. If you’d like to host an event with us, visit www.victoriatx.gov/outreach. 

Tiffany Totah is the City of Victoria Municipal Court administrator.