# The Attorney General of Texas July 6, 1978

Honorable

James Warren

Smith, Jr. p%gcam? Attorney P.&&al& Texan 76061 OpinknNo.li- 1203 Re: lh?fendant~ preence at tr&lbljusticecourtof miss meenocpunishableby a fineonly. Dear Mr. Smith: Youadc~whetherajusSxofthepeacemaypro&e@btridoncertdn misdem~ cherges in the defendant% absems Yourquestionsccccerna motaM~~chargedrrithspeedingandoignedaNoticctoAppeuin Ccwt in aceaQnee with article 67Old, section 146. Hedid not eppearon his appeamm~da*;and waseharged with wuful vklatkn of .his :&tmaise to appsar.~amdenectkn I49ofartkk’ 67OId. .Hothvklatknsare mfsderyanors pdshabbbg fine .snly. & V.T.C.S.art. 67Ob$S 14% A wm.ant was eewed on the defend&t:aodhe posted a.$200 cash bond but did not eppeer on a secondtrkldate; -You .a& iwhether .$he.justke court may-proceed to trial .Mhout the pnsmca of the defendant or MSattorney. Article 13.03 of: *,.Code of Criminal Froceke providesthat the defendantinm be persan@~presentat the trial of a felony or a misdemeanor pudshaHe by imprisarmen~ Article ss.o4fJ+aes-a6follows- ” J f, ‘, .~’ i .?. : z~h\;otirar

m&i& oareq$&&e:&, ,&, bJr kument gf the6tate9sattorney~~appeerby,couns& end dhe*~maygrooeed.rrtthalt ids &bemnaly h aur&p&g,..- provisi~ ~~~&&&&& ‘~ p- at trial, dthum or.thrpugh his attomey:when permitted in BeoocQlloewith artkl+ S3.94. lkkl of a defendent in his absence denies himhis dayin courL Warren v. State, 532 S.W.2d

566 (Tex. Crhn.. App. 1976). Inour opinion,the justke of the peace may not proceed to fzlal on either cher@ uaks defendant is present dther peraonaUy or Uuoughhis attorney. & Castledine v. Mitchel& 336

8.W.M267(Tex. civ. App. - Port Worth1960, nowrit).

p. 4626Honorable James Warren

Smith, Jr. - Page 2 (S-1203)

Article a7J4 of the Code of Criminal Procedwe provides altematlve method3 of dealing wlth certain misdemeanor charges

. . .

. (b) A defendent cherged with a m4demeenor fot which

tbe meximumpossible pun4hment 4 by fine only may . . . mail to the court a plea of wty* or a plea of kolo contendemfandawdvetoffutytr4L lfthaeourtmeeives aipla andwdver befotethe tlme the defendent 4 &eduled to appeiw in court, the court 8hall d4po6e of: the ceae without iepulrlng a court ~cebythedefendenL..ir (c) Ina m4demeenor ceae ar4irtg out of a movingtmfftc vlolatfomfor wh4h the m&mum possIblequWhme& 4 by fIneonly,paymentofaffn~aenamountacceptedbythe courtconstitutesaflndingofguiltyinopencou&a8tboqh a plea of nolo contendere had been entered by the defendenL

a%dlboluY4awtitten llwkbmgenteredintobythe defendant and h4 auetks 

### for the appeamm ot the p&c@lthereinbetar,eomecourtormeg4tcatetoanswer a-criminal acmmxtiw provkM, however, that the defendant uponkxeeutionotsuehbailbondmaydepositwiththe curtodianofhmdsofthecourtkwhiohtheproseeutionb peadIngcutrent moneyof the UnitedStates in .theamount of ths~inliauofhaving~urati~signfngthe~mc... See also ‘Attorney c3eneWCplnkn C-740 Qess). Article 17.06, which states the requisites of a bdl bond,provides as follows;

A bail bond 8haIl be sufficient if It contain 441 the followingrequfsites:

p. 4029Honorable James Werren

Smith, Jr. - PegeS (H-1203)

. . . 4. That the bond be s&wed by name or mark by the principal and awetieg if any.. . .

Hall v. State, 465 S.W excnemtes the defendant from lkbility -onits forfeiture. Code Grim. Proc. art. 22.x3. SUMMARY

A jusdce of the peace may not pcmeed to triel on mbdemeenor chrges in defendunth +iencq whet-e def~t’hasnotpkdguil ornoloconten&reinacddance .with article 2734(b of the C&e of CrimM 3 Proc&um OCR

pdd a fine in acco&nce with artfqle 27.l4bh A cash bowl whichdefendant has not signed k invalid

APPROVED: Attorney Oeneml of Texas

p. 4630