The JP was the one that signed the Cookie Cutter probable cause affidavits.
They will be tried in County Criminal Court.
That’s disturbing. JP’s are often not even lawyers. I had a political science teacher in high school who was a JP. It’s an elected office anyone can run for.
http://texaspress.com/law-a-the-media-in-texas-court-system-
- District Courts
A district may include more than one county, a single county or a county may have more than one district court. Larger counties have separate criminal and civil courts.
District courts have jurisdiction in felony cases. They also handle misdemeanors involving officials misconduct. District court judges preside over courts of inquiry.
District judges must be lawyers and are elected for four years.
- Justice of the Peace Courts
Justices of the peace may also conduct examining trials, imprison for nonpayment of fines and costs to enforce their authority, issue peace bonds, issue search warrants, set bonds in felonies and hold hearings in bond contests.
They may hold inquests and—if the county has no medical examiner—order an autopsy. They may also conduct marriages, for which they expect to be paid.
Justices of the peace do not have to be lawyers.