Criminal Law Hearing Officer

Position Overview

The Criminal Law Hearing Officer serves as magistrate in the Harris County Probable Cause Court. This Court operates as a 24/7 operation located in the Harris County Joint Processing Center. Criminal Law Hearing Officers are independent judicial officers regarding the cases/ defendants that appear before them. Criminal Law Hearing Officers are appointed by the statutory Criminal Law Hearing Officer Committee.

Statutory Duties

• Take general direction from the Criminal Law Hearing Officer.
• Serve as a magistrate in the Harris County Probable Cause Court.
• Staff hearings on a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week schedule.
• Determine probable cause for further detention of any person detained on a criminal complaint, information or indictment filed in the district courts, county criminal courts at law, or justice courts of Harris County.
• Commit the defendant to jail, discharge the defendant from custody, or admit the defendant to bail, as the law and facts of the case require.
• Timely issue search warrants and arrest warrants as provided by law for magistrates.
• As to criminal cases filed in justice courts, dispose of cases as provided by law, other than by trial, and collect fines and enforce judgments and orders of the justice courts in criminal cases.
• Hear emergency mental health matters under Chapter 573, Health and Safety Code.

Requirements

• Must be a resident of Harris County, Texas.
• Must have been licensed to practice law in Texas for at least five (5) years.
• Must not have been defeated for reelection to a judicial office.
• Must not have been removed from office: by impeachment, by the Supreme Court, by the Governor on address to the legislature; by the legislature’s abolition of the judge’s court; by resigning from office after having received notice that formal proceedings by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct had been instituted as provided in Section 33.022, Government Code, and before the final disposition of the proceedings.
• Must abide by all requirements as set forth in the Canons of Judicial Conduct.

Details and Instructions to Apply

Download General Information Details and Instructions to Apply: Download Position Type and Typical Hours of Work: Regular Full-timeHours will be discussed during departmental interview. Salary: Depends on QualificationsBased on 26 Pay PeriodsPlus, benefits Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen. Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.