INTRODUCTION TO THE CODES Transportation Code and More Texas Municipal Courts Education Center OBJECTIVES By the end of this class, Participants will be able to: Identify Types and Sources of Law Identify Laws Applicable in Municipal Court Acquire Skills to Find Laws Apply Skills Primary Legal Sources United States Constitution Texas Constitution State Statutes City Ordinances Case Law Rules / Regulations / Attorney General opinions 1
Secondary Legal Sources The Recorder (TMCEC) The Forms Book (TMCEC) The Bench Book (TMCEC) Black s Law Dictionary Texas Criminal & Traffic Law Manual The Brick Surfing the Code Table of Contents Index Frequently Used Codes Helpful Indexes: Transportation Code Code of Criminal Procedure Penal Code 2
Texas Statutes Online http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/ Select Code Select Chapter Select Section Frequently Used Codes Penal Code Code of Criminal Procedure Transportation Code Alcoholic Beverage Code Education Code Health and Safety Code Texas Transportation Code (TC) TITLES: 1-7 Subtitles: A-Z CHAPTERS: 1-750 Subchapters: A-Z SECTIONS: Ch. #.001 - Ch. #.999 Subsections: (a) or (1) or (A) or (i) TC 545.419 TC 545.4191 TC 545.420 3
Transportation Code Title 7 - Vehicles and Traffic Subtitles A - J Chapters 501-750 Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle A Title 7, Subtitle A, Certificates of Title and Registration of Vehicles (chapters 501-520) 502.407 - Expired registration 502.472 - Improper or No registration 502.475 - Wrong, Fictitious, Altered, Obscured Insignia (sticker) 502.475(a)(4), -(d) - Class B among Class C s 504.945 - corresponding license plate law Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle B Title 7, Subtitle B - Driver s Licenses & Personal ID Cards (chapters 521-540) 521.021 - DL required 521.025 - DL must be displayed 521.025(d), (f) - defense of valid DL and fee 521.026 - Dismissal of Expired DL charge 521.461 - General Penalty 4
Transportation Code Chapters 541-600 Ch. 541. Definitions 541.001(1) - Operator 541.201(11) - Motor Vehicle 541.302(5) - Highway or street 541.401(1), (5) - Daytime / Nighttime 541.401(10) - Stop Ch. 542. General Provisions 542.001 - Vehicles on Highways 542.301 - General Offense 542.401 - General Penalty 542.402(a) - Use of Fines 542.402(b) - Excess fines law 542.404, -4045 - enhanced penalties for offenses in construction zones & FTYROW offenses causing injury 5
Ch. 543. Arrest and Prosecution 543.001 - Arrest authority 543.003 - Citation and release 543.004 - Citation required for certain offenses 543.201-543.205 - Records, reports Ch. 544, Traffic Signs, Signals, and Markings. 544.004 - Must Obey Traffic Control Device 541.304(1) - definition of official trafficcontrol device 544.007(d) - Run red light 544.010 - Run stop sign Ch. 545, Operation and Movement of Vehicles 545.101-545.107 - Turning and Signals 545.151-545.157 - Right-of-Way rules 545.301-545.308 - Parking 545.351-545.365 - Speeding 545.412-545.413 - Seat Belts / Child Safety Seats 545.413(d): different fine ranges 6
Ch. 547, Vehicle Equipment 547.004 - General Offenses 547.004(a) - offense 547.004(c), (d) - compliance dismissal and limitation 547.301-547.383 - Lighting requirements Ch. 550, Accidents and Accident Reports 550.001 - offense location compare with 542.001 550.022(c), 550.024(b), 550.025(b) - two levels of offenses, Class B vs. Class C Ch. 551, Operation of Bicycles, Mopeds, and Play Vehicles 551.002 - mopeds and electric bicycles 551.101(a) - bicycle operators must comply with traffic laws for motor vehicle operators 7
Ch. 552, Pedestrians 552.001 - Traffic Control Signals (Crossing at lights) 552.005 - Crossing at Point Other Than Crosswalk ( Jaywalking ) 552.006 - Use of Sidewalk 541.302(16) - definition of sidewalk Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle D Title 7, Subtitle D - Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility (chapters 601-620) 601.051, 601.191 - Fail to Maintain Financial Responsibility (FMFR) offense and penalties First offense: $175-350 Subsequent offenses: $350-1,000 Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle E Title 7, Subtitle E - Vehicle Size and Weight (chapters 621-640) 621.506(g) - certain fines split with State See also 545.412(h), 545.413(j) 8
Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle F Title 7, Subtitle F - Commercial Motor Vehicles (chapters 641-660) 644.151 - State enforcement of federal commercial motor vehicle regulations See also 37 Tex. Admin. Code 4.11(a) Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle G Title 7, Subtitle G - Motorcycles & All Terrain Vehicles (chapters 661-680) 661.003 - Helmets and Exceptions Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle H Title 7, Subtitle H - Parking, Towing and Storage of Vehicles (chapters 681-700) 681 - Privileged Parking 681.009 - Designating parking spaces 681.011 - Offenses for Privileged Parking 682 - Administrative Adjudication of Parking Offenses 683 - Abandoned / Junked Vehicles 9
Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle I Title 7, Subtitle I - Enforcement of Traffic Law Procedures (chapters 701-720) 702.003 - Scofflaw / DMV refusal to register vehicle 703 - Nonresident Violator Compact 706 - Omnibase / DPS denial of DL renewal 708 - DPS DL surcharge program 720.002 - No QUOTAS for peace officers and judges Transp. Code, Title 7, Subtitle J Title 7, Subtitle J - Miscellaneous Provisions (chapters 721-750) 725 - Transportation of Loose Materials 725.003 - Offense; Penalty 725.021 - Requirements for Transporting Loose Materials Code of Criminal Procedure 14.06(b) - peace officer s option to issue citation 27.14 - Plea of Guilty or No Contest in Misdemeanor Plea in open court or by mail; payment of fine as no contest plea; when to file formal complaint; citation serves as first complaint 45.019 - Requisites of Complaint 45.051 - Deferred Disposition 45.0511 - Driving Safety Course 10
Penal Code General Penal Code provisions 1.07 - Definitions 2.01-2.06 - burden of proof, exceptions, defenses, affirmative defenses, presumptions 6.01-6.04 - voluntary act or omission; culpable mental states 12.03, 12.23, 12.41(3) - Class C misdemeanors and punishment Penal Code offenses in municipal court 22.01(a)(3), (c) - Assault 31.03(a), (e)(1) - Theft 42.01(a), (d) - Disorderly Conduct 49.02 - Public Intoxication // 49.031 - Open Container Questions? 11