District Courts

Explanation Of Case Categories



Criminal Docket

 A criminal case is counted as one defendant per indictment or information. For example, if an indictment names more than one defendant, there is more than one case; three defendants named in one indictment equals three cases. If the same defendant receives more than one indictment, even if for the same criminal episode, there is more than one case; the same person named in four indictments equals four cases.

Finally, if an indictment contains more than one count (Article 21.24, Code of Criminal Procedure) only one case per person named in the indictment is reported. The case is reported under the classification for the most serious offense alleged.

The case-type categories are:

1. CAPITAL MURDER:
An offense under Penal Code Section 19.03 (Capital Murder).

2. MURDER OR VOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER:
An offense under Penal Code Sections 19.02 (Murder) or 19.04 (Manslaughter).

3. ASSAULT OR ATTEMPTED MURDER:
A felony offense under Penal Code Section 22.01 (Assault) or 22.04 (Injury to a Child or Elder); an offense under Section 22.02 (Aggravated Assault); or an offense of attempt (as defined in Section 15.01) to commit: Murder (19.02), Capital Murder (19.03), or Manslaughter (19.04).

4. SEXUAL ASSAULT OF AN ADULT:
An offense under Penal Code Sections 22.011 (Sexual Assault) or 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault) where the victim is an adult (17 years or older).

5. INDECENCY OR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD:
An offense under Penal Code Sections 22.011 (Sexual Assault) or 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault) where the victim is a child (younger than 17 years), and an offense under 21.11 (Indecency with a Child).

6. ROBBERY:
An offense under Penal Code Sections 29.02 (Robbery) or 29.03 (Aggravated Robbery).

7. BURGLARY:
A felony offense under Penal Code Sections 30.02 (Burglary) or 30.04 (Burglary of Vehicles).

8. THEFT:
A felony offense under Penal Code Sections 31.03 (Theft) or 31.04 (Theft of Service) except when the property involved is a motor vehicle; and an offense under Penal Code Sections 32.31 (Credit Card Abuse and Debit Card Abuse).

9. AUTOMOBILE THEFT:
A felony offense under Penal Code Section 31.03 (Theft) if the property involved is a motor vehicle, or an offense under Section 31.07 (Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle).

10. ARSON:
An offense under Penal Code Section 28.02 (Arson).

11. DRUG SALE OR MANUFACTURE:
A felony offense under the Controlled Substances Act (Ch. 481, Health and Safety Code) or the Dangerous Drugs Act (Ch. 483, Health and Safety Code) for the manufacture, delivery or sale, or possession with intent to deliver or sell a drug or controlled substance.

12. DRUG POSSESSION:

A felony offense for possession under the Controlled Substances Act (Ch. 481, Health and Safety Code) or the Dangerous Drugs Act (Ch 483, Health and Safety Code), other than possession with intent to deliver or sell.

13. FELONY D.W.I.:
A felony offense under Art. Section 49.09, Penal Code.

14. OTHER FELONY:
A felony offense not clearly identifiable as belonging in one of the preceding categories, including cases previously categorized as forgery.

15. ALL MISDEMEANORS:
Any offense classified as a misdemeanor.



Civil Docket

 A civil case, as opposed to a criminal case, is not counted by the number of persons involved in a suit. Each separate suit, normally commenced by the filing of the plaintiff's original petition, defines an individual civil case.

1. INJURY OR DAMAGE INVOLVING MOTOR VEHICLE:
All cases for damages associated in any way with motor vehicle (automobile, truck, motorcycle, etc.), with or without accompanying personal injury. Examples include personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death cases which involve motor vehicles.

2. INJURY OR DAMAGE OTHER THAN MOTOR VEHICLE:
Cases for personal injury or damages arising out of an event not involving a motor vehicle. Examples include "slip-and-fall" cases, as well as personal injury, property damage, and wrongful death not involving motor vehicles.

3. WORKERS' COMPENSATION:
Appeals from awards of compensation for personal injury by the Workers' Compensation Commission (Ch. 410, Labor Code).

4. TAX CASES:
Suits brought by governmental taxing entities for the collection of taxes.

5. CONDEMNATION:
Suits by a unit of government or a corporation with the power of eminent domain for the taking of private land for public use.

6. ACCOUNTS, CONTRACTS, NOTES:
Suits based on enforcing the terms of a certain and express agreement, usually for the purpose of recovering a specific sum of money.

7. RECIPROCALS (U.R.E.S.A.):
Actions involving child support in which the case has been received from another court outside the county or state.

8. DIVORCE CASES:
A suit brought by a party to a marriage to dissolve that marriage pursuant to Family Code Chapter 3. (Annulments are not reported here, but under All Other Family Matters.)

9. ALL OTHER FAMILY MATTERS:
Includes all family law matters other than divorce proceedings and those juvenile matters which are reported in the Juvenile Section, including:

a. Motions to modify previously granted divorce decrees, or other judgments or decrees, in such matters as amount of child support, child custody orders, and other similar motions which are filed under the original cause number;

b. Annulments;

c. Adoptions;

d. Changes of name;

e. Termination of parental rights (child protective service cases);

f. Dependent and neglected child cases;

g. Removal of disability of minority;

h. Removal of disability of minority for marriage;

i. Voluntary legitimation (Section 13.01, Texas Family Code); and

j. All other matters filed under the Family Code which are not reported elsewhere.

10. OTHER CIVIL CAUSES:
All civil cases not clearly identifiable as belonging in one of the preceding categories.

 

Juvenile Docket

 Juvenile cases are based upon petitions for adjudication of a child alleged to have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision (C.I.N.S.) as governed by Title 3 of the Texas Family Code.

Other Proceedings

 The proceedings under these categories may stem from criminal, civil, or juvenile cases.