Which statement best describes the general public contact with municipal courts?

• A. More citizens come into contact with municipal courts than all other Texas courts combined
• B. Municipal courts handle the majority of violent felonies
• C. Municipal courts are the oldest courts
• D. Municipal courts have no involvement with traffic offenses

Answer: (A)

Public interaction with courts is driven by everyday, routine matters. Municipal courts handle the bulk of traffic offenses and Class C misdemeanors, which are the kinds of cases most people might receive a ticket for or appear about. Because these cases are so common, municipal courts see more people than any other Texas courts combined. The other statements don’t fit: violent felonies are handled in district or county courts, not municipal courts; traffic offenses are indeed within municipal jurisdiction, so saying they have no involvement with traffic is incorrect; and municipal courts are not the oldest courts. So, the description that more citizens come into contact with municipal courts than all other Texas courts combined best captures how the public generally interacts with them.