2023 Texas Statutes › Government Code › Title 2 - Judicial Branch › Subtitle A - Courts › Chapter 30 - Municipal Courts of Record › Subchapter A. General Law for Municipal Courts of Record › Section 30.00014. Appeal

Sec. 30.00014.  APPEAL.  (a)  A defendant has the right of appeal from a judgment or conviction in a municipal court of record.  The state has the right to appeal as provided by Article 44.01, Code of Criminal Procedure.  The county criminal courts or county criminal courts of appeal in the county in which the municipality is located or the municipal courts of appeal have jurisdiction of appeals from a municipal court of record.  If there is no county criminal court, county criminal court of appeal, or municipal court of appeal, the county courts at law have jurisdiction of an appeal. If a county does not have a county court at law under Chapter 25, the county court has jurisdiction of any appeal.
(b)  The appellate court shall determine each appeal from a municipal court of record conviction and each appeal from the state on the basis of the errors that are set forth in the appellant's motion for new trial and that are presented in the clerk's record and reporter's record prepared from the proceedings leading to the conviction or appeal.  An appeal from the municipal court of record may not be by trial de novo.
(c)  To perfect an appeal, the appellant must file a written motion for new trial with the municipal clerk not later than the 10th day after the date on which judgment is rendered.  The motion must set forth the points of error of which the appellant complains.  The motion or an amended motion may be amended by leave of court at any time before action on the motion is taken, but not later than the 20th day after the date on which the original or amended motion is filed.  The court may for good cause extend the time for filing or amending, but the extension may not exceed 90 days from the original filing deadline.  If the court does not act on the motion before the expiration of the 30 days allowed for determination of the motion, the original or amended motion is overruled by operation of law.
(d)  To perfect an appeal, the appellant must also give notice of the appeal.  If the appellant requests a hearing on the motion for new trial, the appellant may give the notice of appeal orally in open court on the overruling of the motion.  If there is no hearing, the appellant must give a written notice of appeal and must file the notice with the court not later than the 10th day after the date on which the motion is overruled.  The court may for good cause extend that time period, but the extension may not exceed 90 days from the original filing deadline.
(e)  If the defendant is in custody, the appeal is perfected when the notice of appeal is given as provided by Article 44.13, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(f)  Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 4.40(5), eff. January 1, 2020.
(g)  The defendant shall pay the fee for an actual transcription of the proceedings.
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 811, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987.  Renumbered from Government Code Sec. 30.493 by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 8.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.  Renumbered from Sec. 30.00013 and amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 691, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 37 (S.B. 1014), Sec. 2, eff. May 9, 2005.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 380 (H.B. 4147), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 4.15, eff. January 1, 2020.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 4.40(5), eff. January 1, 2020.