Texas Government Code 54.906 – Proceeding That May Be Referred
(a) A judge may refer to a magistrate any criminal case for proceedings involving:
(1) a bond forfeiture;
(2) a pretrial motion;
(3) a postconviction writ of habeas corpus;
(4) an examining trial;
(5) the issuance of search warrants, including a search warrant under Article 18.02(a)(10), Code of Criminal Procedure, notwithstanding Article 18.01(c), Code of Criminal Procedure;
(6) the setting of bonds;
(7) the arraignment of defendants; and
(8) any other matter the judge considers necessary and proper, including a plea of guilty or nolo contendere from a defendant charged with:
(A) a felony offense;
(B) a misdemeanor offense when charged with both a misdemeanor offense and a felony offense; or
(C) a misdemeanor offense.
(b) A magistrate may not preside over a trial on the merits, whether or not the trial is before a jury.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 54.906
- Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
(c) Subsection (a)(5) does not apply to the issuance of a subsequent search warrant under Article 18.02(a)(10), Code of Criminal Procedure.