Santa Fe Municipal Court

Santa Fe Municipal Court cases in Galveston County, Santa Fe, TX

Santa Fe Municipal Court in Santa Fe, Texas is a municipal court of limited jurisdiction. It has exclusive original jurisdiction over city ordinance violations and concurrent jurisdiction with justice courts over Class C misdemeanor criminal offenses occurring within the city. Common matters include traffic and parking citations, code-enforcement/ordinance violations, and other fine-only state law offenses (e.g., public intoxication, disorderly conduct, minors in possession). The court processes citations, arraignments, trials, judgments, and collections, and its judges act as magistrates, issuing warrants and setting bail. It does not handle general civil lawsuits, family law, probate, felonies, or Class A/B misdemeanors; small claims and most civil disputes are heard in justice courts or higher courts.

Santa Fe Municipal Court Contact and Location Information

Services and Case Types Handled in Santa Fe Municipal Court

Santa Fe Municipal Court serves the public by handling city-level criminal and traffic matters and providing access to court services.

Core case types:
- Traffic and parking citations
- Misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor violations of city ordinances (including first‑offense DWI under municipal ordinance)
- Code enforcement and animal/control ordinance cases

Key services:
- Case intake/filings from citations and criminal complaints
- Scheduling and conducting arraignments, pretrial conferences, plea hearings, trials (bench and, where eligible, jury), and sentencing
- Jury services: juror summons, qualification, and trial management
- Warrant issuance/recall and compliance monitoring (e.g., fines, community service, classes)
- Records requests, certified copies, and case look‑up; payment of fines/fees; interpreter and ADA accommodation coordination

Protective orders:
- Civil orders of protection are issued by District Court; Municipal Court may impose no‑contact conditions in related criminal cases.