DEFENDANT INFORMATION
1. How will I be notified of my court date?
Your first court date is for arraignment. That is when the Judge will explain your constitutional rights, make sure your name is correct and review your bond. If you did not bond out immediately, you will be arraigned while you are still in custody. A notice of your court date will be mailed to the address listed on your bond. If you bond out before seeing a judge, you will receive a notice to appear for arraignment on the date listed on the notice at 9:00am in County Court at Law No. 1.
2. What if I move or change my address?
It is your responsibility to notify the Victoria County Clerk of your new address. You may notify them by telephone at 361-575-1478 or you may mail a Change of Defendant Address on Bond to the Victoria County Clerk’s Office at P.O. Box 2410 Victoria, Texas 77902.
3. Where are the courtrooms located?
The courtrooms are located in the 1967 courthouse at 115 N. Bridge St.
County Court at Law No. 1 is on the second floor of the 1967 courthouse
County Court at Law No. 2 is on the third floor of the 1967 courthouse
4. What am I supposed to wear to court?
The Victoria County Courts at Law do have a dress code. You will receive a copy of the dress code with your court date notice. You may also access it by clicking on the words "dress code" above.
5. I can’t afford to hire a lawyer, what do I do?
If you are indigent, you may apply to the court for a court appointed attorney. You may ask the judge for an application on your court date, ask the County Clerk’s office to provide it to you or click here to download the application: Application for Court Appointed Attorney.
6. Can I bring my family with me?
Criminal Court proceedings are open to the public. You may want to arrange child care for babies and young children as court proceedings often take several hours and everyone is required to sit quietly while court is in session.
7. I can’t appear on my scheduled court date. What do I do?
Failing to appear in the County Courts At Law is a criminal offense titled "Failure to Appear", a class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $4000.00, a jail sentence of up to 365 days in jail or both.
The only acceptable reasons for changing your court date are :
(1) You are scheduled for court in another county-this requires that you submit a copy of your notice to appear from the other court;
(2) an illness-this requires a verification from a doctor or hospital that you are too ill to appear;
(3) Illness of a minor child-this requires the same verification as (2); or
(4) a death in your immediate family-requires a copy of the obituary naming you as a surviving relative.
Work schedules, school conflicts or transportation issues are not reasons for changing or missing your court date. You must notify the court BEFORE your court date. If you are represented by attorney, please notify him/her immediately and they can follow the correct procedure to request a continuance. If you are not represented by an attorney and one of the reasons listed above apply, you may call the County Clerk’s office at 361-575-1478 and supply the required verification to them by fax at 361-575-6276. Only the Judge may grant a continuance, so they will pass that information to the Judge and let you know the outcome.