Texas Government Code 432.174 – Investigation
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(a) On the filing of an unrestricted report alleging an offense under § 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code, the coordinator:
(1) shall refer the unrestricted report to the Texas Rangers division of the Department of Public Safety for investigation; and
(2) may refer the unrestricted report to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for the initial collection of evidence.
(b) A local law enforcement agency that initially collects evidence for an unrestricted report under Subsection (a) shall transfer all relevant evidence and information to the Texas Rangers division of the Department of Public Safety on request of the division.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 432.174
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
(c) On the filing of an unrestricted report alleging an offense under § 22.012, Penal Code, the coordinator shall refer the unrestricted report to the appropriate local law enforcement agency for investigation.
(d) The Texas Rangers division of the Department of Public Safety shall assign an officer of the Texas Rangers to investigate reports referred to the division under this section. If the investigation demonstrates probable cause that an offense under § 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code, was committed by a person subject to this chapter, the investigator shall refer the matter to the appropriate local district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney with criminal jurisdiction.