HomeMy WebLinkAbout28049-10-2025 - City Council - OrdinanceORDINANCE NO.28049-10-2025
AN ORDINANCE APPOINTING JOSEPH F. HENDERSON AS A
MUNICIPAL JUDGE FOR AN UNEXPIRED TERM COMMENCING
OCTOBER 18, 2025, AND ENDING MARCH 31, 2026, OR UNTIL A
SUCCESSOR IS QUALIFIED AND APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH STATE LAW; PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BE
CUMULATIVE; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
That, the following individual is now appointed as a Municipal Judge for an unexpired
term commencing October 18, 2025, and ending March 31, 2026, or until a successor is qualified
and appointed in accordance with state law:
Municipal Court Judge Place 8: Joseph F. Henderson
Appointment to a place does not mean appointment to a specific court or division. Assignment to
a court remains within the authority of the Chief Judge as authorized by Section 10-3 of Chapter
10, Courts of the Fort Worth City Code.
SECTION 2.
This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordinances and of the Code of the
City of Fort Worth, Texas (2015), as amended, except where provisions of this ordinance are in
direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and Code, in which event such conflicting
provisions of such ordinances and Code are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3.
It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs,
sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence,
paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared void, ineffective or unconstitutional by the
valid judgment or final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, such ineffectiveness or
unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs
and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without
the incorporation herein of any such void, ineffective or unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence,
paragraph or section.
SECTION 4.
This ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
Andrea Phillips, Assistant City Attorney
Adopted and Effective: October 21, 2025
CITY SECRETARY
rnnette Goodall, City Secretary
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City of Fort Worth, Texas
Mayor and Council Communication
DATE: 10/21/25 M&C FILE NUMBER: M&C 25-0976
LOG NAME: 38MUNICIPAL JUDGE APPOINTMENT2025
SUBJECT
(ALL) Adopt the Ordinance Appointing Joseph F. Henderson as Municipal Judge for the Remainder of a Two -Year Term, Commencing October 18,
2025 and Ending March 31, 2026
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Appoint Joseph F. Henderson as Municipal Court Judge for an unexpired term commencing October 18, 2025 and ending March 31, 2026,
or until a successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state law; and
2. Set the salary for said Municipal Court Judge as $127,899.20 per year.
DISCUSSION:
Apnointment of Municipal Court Judaes
Chapter 30 of the Texas Government Code (the Uniform Municipal Courts of Record Act) sets out the requirements for appointment of judges and
the presiding judge for municipal courts of record. Section 30.00006(b) of the Texas Government Code requires the governing body of a
municipality to appoint its municipal court judges by ordinance.
Currently there are 10 Judicial Places. One judicial vacancy was created by the retirement of Judge Neel McDonald.
On October 14th, 2025 Chief Judge Gonzalez received approval from the Legislative and I ntergovem mental Affairs Committee to recommend the
appointment of Joseph F. Henderson as Municipal Court Judge for an unexpired term commencing October 18, 2025 and ending March 31, 2026
to the Mayor and Members of the City Council on October 21, 2025.
On October 14th, 2025, Chief Judge Gonzalez presented an Informal Report to the Mayor and Members of the City Council concerning the Judicial
Appointment recommendation of Joseph F. Henderson as Municipal Court Judge for an unexpired term commencing October 18, 2025 and
ending March 31, 2026.
Chief Judge Gonzalez is recommending to Mayor and Members of the City Council that Joseph F. Henderson be appointed as a municipal court
judge for an unexpired term commencing on October 18, 2025 and ending March 31, 2026. Therefore, the following individual is now appointed
as a municipal court judge in the following place for an unexpired term commencing October 18, 2025 and ending March 31, 2026, or until a
successor is qualified and appointed in accordance with state and local law:
Municipal Court Judge Place 8: Joseph F. Henderson.
Appointment to a place does not mean appointment to a specific court or division. Assignment to a court remains within the authority of the
Chief Judge as authorized by Section 10-3 of the City Code.
Pav Adiustments for Municipal Court Judaes
Section 30.00006(h) of the Government Code requires the City Council to set the salary for a Municipal Court Judge upon appointment.
Therefore, the salary for the Municipal Court Judge is as follows:
1. An annual salary of $127,899.20 for Municipal Court Judge Joseph F. Henderson.
The salary of the Municipal Court Judge may be increased in the future if the increase is adopted by the City Council as part of the Budget
Ordinance.
Funding is budgeted in the Regular Employee Salaries account within the General Fund for the Municipal Courts Department.
A Form 1295 is not required because: This M&C does not request approval of a contract with a business entity.
FISCAL INFORMATION 1 CERTIFICATION:
The Director of Finance certifies that funds are available in the current operating budget, as previously appropriated, in the General Fund to
support the approval of the above recommendations. Prior to any expenditure being incurred, the Municipal Court Department has the
responsibility to validate the availability of funds.
Submitted for Citv Manager's Office bv: William Johnson 5806
Oriainatina Business Unit Head: William Rumuly 7461
Additional Information Contact: William Rumuly 7461