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Order of the Presiding Criminal Judge of the Travis County criminal district courts (February 19, 2016) finding that the entire Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center and the listed offices essential to the courts' operation are court premises under Texas Penal Code §§46.03 and 46.035, and requesting the Commissioners Court and the Sheriff to prohibit licensed handgun holders from entering those locations with handguns.
Applies to the premises of the Travis County criminal district courts in the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center and the offices the order designates. The County Courts at Law entered a parallel order, published separately. Procedural information only; not legal advice.
ORDER, File Number D-1-GN-61-121012 (Local Rules and General Orders), filed in the District Court of Travis County, Texas, February 19, 2016. The Presiding Criminal Judge for the Criminal Courts located in Travis County, Texas makes these findings regarding courtrooms and offices that are essential to the operation of the courts, and utilized by the courts as described in Texas Penal Code Section 46.03: WHEREAS, in 2015 the Texas Legislature enacted HB 910, 84th RS, effective January 1, 2016, authorizing handgun license holders to openly carry handguns secured in shoulder or belt holsters in the State of Texas to include in government buildings and on government property with limited exceptions contained in the Texas Penal Code §46.03 and 46.035; WHEREAS, one of the exceptions in Texas Penal Code §46.03 is the premises of any government court or offices utilized by the court; WHEREAS, the Presiding Criminal Judge for the Criminal Courts for Travis County presides over the Criminal Courts in the Blackwell Thurman Criminal Justice Center and can thus determine which offices are utilized and essential to the operation of the courts; WHEREAS, the below signed Judge has established that the entire building of the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center (the "CJC") including all floors, constitute the premises of the criminal district courts — these areas in the CJC, including the hallways, common areas, stairwells, elevators and restrooms, are all used by jurors, witnesses, parties, attorneys, officers of the court and judicial personnel, and use of these areas is integral and necessary for the District Courts' operations; WHEREAS, the below signed Judge has considered the offices that the Criminal Courts utilize, and has determined that the below offices are essential to the operation of the Criminal Courts and central to their business: 1. the Travis County District Clerk, which provides the records and clerical support for the District Courts (all District Court files are kept by the District Clerk's Office, located in the CJC and the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse); 2. the Travis County Auditor, which reviews the financial functioning of the courts and audits all expenditures necessary for maintaining indigent defense (700 Lavaca building); 3. the Capital Area Private Defender Services (CAPDS), which manages all appointed counsel (Brizendine House, on County property adjacent to the CJC); 4. the Travis County District Attorney, which represents the State in every felony criminal case (Gault Building at 509 West 11th St. and the 2nd floor of the Granger Building at 314 West 11th St.); 5. the Travis County Mental Health Public Defender (2201 Post Road, moving to the Rusk Building at 910 Lavaca in April 2016); 6. the Travis County Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD), Executive Office Building, 411 West 13th St.; 7. Pre-trial Services, also at the Executive Office Building; 8. the Office of Court Administration, Gault Building, 509 West 11th St., which manages the Courts' dockets and the appointments of counsel for indigent defense. NOW, THEREFORE the below signed Judge of Travis County, Texas ORDERS: 1. The Judge believes the findings and recitations set out in the resolution are true and correct, and they are hereby adopted by the below signed Judges. 2. Thus, the below signed Judge by this order hereby resolves that the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, including hallways, common areas, restrooms, elevators and stairwells and the offices listed in this Order, those floors officing the District Clerk in the Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse, those floors officing the County Auditor in the 700 Lavaca Building, the Executive Office Building located at 411 W. 13th St., the 2nd floor of the Granger Building located at 314 West 11th St., the Gault Building located at 509 West 11th St., the Rusk Building located at 910 Lavaca, the Brizendine House, and those floors housing the Mental Health Public Defender in the Building located at 2201 Post Road, are subject to Texas Penal Code §46.03 and §46.035, and request the Travis County Commissioners Court and the Sheriff's Office to take appropriate measures to prohibit licensed handgun holders from entering these locations with handguns. Adopted and approved the 19th day of February 2016, Brenda Kennedy, Presiding Criminal Judge of the Criminal Courts.
The Presiding Criminal Judge for the Criminal Courts located in Travis County, Texas makes these findings regarding courtrooms and offices that are essential to the operation of the courts, and utilized by the courts as described in Texas Penal Code Section 46.03.
Reviewer note: Composed 2026-09-07 (completeness fix F2) from the TOPICs custody scan of doc 595 (image-only; vision lane, all three pages read in full). Previously bundled into the County Courts at Law's order (doc 593) as a copy; it is the district courts' own order. Bound to Travis County (criminal; district courts).
9 verbatim requirements from 4th Circuit Administrative Order 1997-10.
6 verbatim requirements from 4th Circuit Administrative Order 1997-13.