Conroe Municipal Court Rhonda Scarborough Court Clerk Court

Conroe Municipal Court Rhonda Scarborough, Court Clerk

Court Objectives • To administer Justice in criminal cases • To provide a service to the citizens of Conroe (trials, jury trials, etc. • To process cases in an efficient, courteous and effective manner.

Court Process • Citations are entered into the court system and complaints are generated. • Cases are set for arraignment docket. • Defendants that appear and make a plea of guilty or no contest and a judgment is entered, the defendant either pays in full, payment plan, community service or DSC. • Defendants that plea not guilty are set for Bench or Jury trial and if they are found guilty they either pay or appeal or if they are found not guilty the case is dismissed. • Defendants who either fail to appear or violate their promise to pay will have warrants or capias issued. • The defendant name and drivers license is entered into Omni and once paid they are removed and case is completed.

Agencies that file with the Court • Conroe Police Department • Conroe Fire Department • Conroe Independent School District Police • Department of Public Safety • Montgomery County Sheriff Department • Montgomery County Constable Pct. 1 and Pct. 2

Cases Filed in Municipal Court • Total cases filed in 1995 – 23, 913 • Total cases filed in 2000 – 20, 431 • Total cases filed in 2005 – 24, 426

Warrants Issued • Warrants issued in 1995 – 8, 975 • Warrants issued in 2000 – 9, 136 • Warrants issued in 2005 – 11, 183

Court Revenue • Over the past 10 years the court has seen a pattern of increase in court revenues. • 1995 – Total Collection $852, 802 • 2000 – Total Collection $930, 363 • 2005 – Total Collection $1, 842, 078

State Mandated Report • Office of Court Administration (monthly report on cases filed, processed and total amount collected). • Texas Comptrollers Office (quarterly report on fees collected on citation that money was collected) • Omni (financial report on money collected for Mayor and Council).

State Cost • 2000 – State Fee (paid to the comptrollers office) - $ 253, 837. 01 • 2005 – State Fee (paid to the comptrollers office) - $ 617, 183. 30

State Cost • State cost has increase each legislative meeting for the last eight years. • These cost have incurred a 70 percent increase in the last six years. • The state fees are distributed to different fund such as: Consolidated Fee, Traffic Fund, Child Safety Fund, State Juror Reimbursement Fee, State Traffic Fee and Judicial Fund.

Trials • • Bench Trial 1995 – 32 2000 – 36 2005 – 30 Jury Trial 1995 – 7 2000 – 6 2005 - 6

Future Goals • Secure Court Area • Imaging System (Paperless) • Associate Judge • Four Year Term on Elected Judge • To have a separate Court Building