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Home My WebLink About26-0089 - 2026-08-04 - Informal Report (2) 1 of 4 1.3.6 PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 10 COURTS OF THE CITY CODE - WILLIAM RUMULY, MUNICIPAL COURT DIRECTOR INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBJECT: PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 10 COURTS OF THE CITY CODE - WILLIAM RUMULY, MUNICIPAL COURT DIRECTOR DATE: 08/04/26 NUMBER: IR 26-0089 TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL The purpose of this Informal Report is to provide the City Council with a summary of proposed ordinance changes to Chapter 10 of the City Code along with a resolution revising the parking fine schedule as outlined below and set for consideration on the August 11, 2026 agenda. Discussion Over the past year, the Municipal Court Department, in coordination with the City Attorney’s Office, the Chief Judge, and staff from the Transportation and Public Works Department, conducted a comprehensive review of Chapter 10, Articles I and II of the Fort Worth City Code. This review evaluated statutory compliance, operational practices, internal processes, administrative structure, and opportunities for modernization. The proposed amendments modernize judicial administration, streamline parking violation adjudication, correct outdated statutory references, and ensure fee structures align with state mandates and operational needs. The amendments fall into five primary categories: 1. Organizational Changes - These updates strengthen governance and accountability by replacing obsolete committee structures, streamlining judicial evaluations, appointments and reappointments directly to City Council, clarifying judicial appointment cycles, establishing the Court Security Committee required by state law, and requiring annual judicial reporting and performance evaluations. 2. Operational Changes – While the number of Municipal Court divisions was reduced from nine to six, the exact number was removed to streamline future changes, clarifying the Chief Judge’s administrative responsibilities, modernizing City Marshal security authority, and removing outdated statutory references throughout Article I. 3. State‑Law‑Driven and Cleanup Changes - Major cleanup items include replacing outdated fee structures with the statutorily mandated Local Consolidated Fee, removing obsolete fee sections (Fee for Record on Appeal and Juvenile Case Manager 2 of 4 Fee), updating terminology to reflect modern statutes, and renumbering multiple sections for clarity. 4. Parking Violations Bureau Amendments - Amendments to Article II improve parking citation processes by extending the online contest period to 21 days expanding boot notice requirements, and reassigning oversight of the accessible parking volunteer enforcement program to the Director of Transportation and Public Works. 5. Staff‑Initiated Fee Amendments - To support security and technology needs, the ordinance introduces a Civil Security Fee and a Civil Technology Fee per parking violation and increases the fee assessed when a vehicle is booted. The fee amounts will be in the upcoming fee ordinance, effective October 1, 2026. The attached chart illustrates the total amount of parking fines and fees, inclusive of the new civil fees. In conjunction with the new civil fees, Municipal Court Department will establish two new Special Revenue Fund (SRF) projects. One SRF project will be dedicated to the $5 Civil Security Fee, with expenditures limited to Court Security Personnel, Court Security Services, equipment and building security‑related items for Municipal Court facilities. A second SRF project will be created for the $5 Civil Technology Fee, with expenditures restricted exclusively to financing or maintaining technological enhancements for the Municipal Court, including hardware, software, and digital infrastructure. Staff will request that the City Council approve a resolution to revise the civil parking fine schedule, with an effective date of October 1, 2026. The chart below illustrates the changes: 3 of 4 For questions regarding this information, please contact William F. Rumuly, Municipal Court Services Director at 817-392-6736. Jesus “Jay” Chapa City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS Chapter 10 City Code Proposed Changes Reference Chart AUGUST 4, 2026 CC WORKSESSION Article REF Change Effective Date 1 10-1(a) While the number of Municipal Court divisions was reduced from nine to six, due to closure of Southwest Municipal Court in 2020 and Truancy Court at Eastern Hills High School in 2016, the exact number was removed to streamline future changes Immediate upon passage 1 10-2(a)Remove ad hoc municipal court advisory committee references Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(a)Judicial appointments directly to City Council and substitute judges appointment on odd number years Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(b)(8) Chief Judge to provide annual report to City Council Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(b)(9) Chief Judge to establish a Court Security Committee as required under CHAPTER 30 MUNICIPAL COURTS OF RECORD Sec. 30.00007 Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(b)(10) When warranted take complaints on judicial staff before the City Council Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(b)(11)Chief Judge to conduct annual performance of judges and provide to City Council at time of reappointment Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(c)Deputy Chief Judge appointment recommended directly to City Council Immediate upon passage 1 10-3(e)Judges exempt from the dismissal, suspension and demotion sections in Chapter 2, Article V of the Fort Worth City Code Immediate upon passage 1 10-4(a)(3)Remove completely-reference to court reporter Immediate upon passage 1 10-4(a)(4)Remove completely-other staff references Immediate upon passage 1 10-5 Remove reference to bureau clerk being appointed Immediate upon passage 1 10-5 Remove requirement for Fidelity Bond-no longer required Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(a)Update name to Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(a)Replace men with officers Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(a)Remove Tex. Revised Civil Statutes Article 1269m and replace with Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(b)(1)Remove the word ‘and”Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(b)(3)Add to include authority to bailiff and security for all city facilities Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(c)Add “as assigned by the Director” Immediate upon passage 1 10-6(d)Remove reference to retirement fund member eligibility and survivor assistance benefits under Tex. Revised Civil Service Statutes Article 6228f Immediate upon passage 1 10-7 Update language on Special Expense Applicable to Certain dismissed Cases Immediate upon passage 1 10-8 Replaced prior language for 10-8 Municipal Court Building Security Fee & 10-9 Municipal Court Technology Fund 10-9 with reference to Local Consolidated Fee language under Section 134.103(b) of Texas Local Government Code Immediate upon passage 1 10-9 Replaces 10.9.1 numbering for Collections Contracts section Immediate upon passage 1 10-10 Per change in state law completely removes Fee for Record on Appeal Immediate upon passage 1 10-11 Removes completely reference to Juvenile Case Manager Fund and Fee (Removed and replaced by Local Consolidated Fee in 10-8 Immediate upon passage 1 10-12 Court Costs for Parking Violations renumbered to 10-10 Immediate upon passage 2 10-18(b) Replaces the Chief of Police with the Director of TPW, or their authorized designee, to provide direction to the CM regarding the accessible parking volunteer enforcement program Immediate upon passage 2 10-20(e)Remove “order to be filed with the clerk of the municipal court” Immediate upon passage 2 10-20(h)Updates ability to contest parking citation online to same as in-person /21 days from offense date Immediate upon passage 2 10-21 (b)Removes $10 nonrefundable Appeal Fee to be consistent with criminal appeals Immediate upon passage 2 10-23(b) Adds the following to the required written notice: (3)The date and time of the boot installation (4)The fee amount for boot removal (5)The authorized parking enforcement agent’s company name, address, and phone number , including 24-hour contact Renumber 3&4 to 6&7 Immediate upon passage 2 10-24(b) Insert new requirements for boot removal within one hour after the owner pays the delinquent balance and requests removal. “Any authorized parking enforcement agent responsible for installation of a boot on a vehicle shall remove the boot not later than one hour after the time the owner or operator of the vehicle satisfies the requirements of Section 10-24 (a) and requests removal of the boot”Immediate upon passage 2 10-24(c)Reassign previously assigned language for(b)to(c) Immediate upon passage 2 10-26 Adds $5 civil security fee per parking violation 10/1/2026 2 10-26 Adds $5 civil technology fee per parking violation 10/1/2026 2 10-26(e) Per state law, provides for waiver of the boot fee if not removed within 1 hour after payment and request for removal “except that the fee shall be waived, excluding any associated fees, if the authorized parking enforcement agent fails to have the boot removed within the time prescribed by Section 10-24 (b)”Immediate upon passage 2 10-26(e)Increase the boot fee from $50 to $75 10/1/2026 2 10-27 No Substantive Changes n/a 4 of 4