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. >> THE TIME IS 1:06. >> I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO
ORDER. >> PLEASE CALL ROLL CALL.
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> WE HAVE KQUORUM. >> FIRST ITEM IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
>> MOTION AND SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.. >> WE HAVE ONE ITEM TODAY, WHICH
[Briefing and Possible Action on the following items ]
IS A PART TWO OF THE OVERVIEW OF MUNICIPAL COURT. AT THE LAST MEETING WE HAD SOME JUDGES NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING. WE WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEMINTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO THE COMMITTEE. I'LL TURN IT OVER. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM PLEASED THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PRESENT THE REMAINING JUDGES TO YOU. WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD TEAM AT MUNICIPAL COURT, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WANTING TO MEET THEM AND HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AT THE COURT. BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE FIRST JUDGE, THOUGH, I DID PROVIDE THE ORDINANCE THAT CONTAINS THE ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR JUDGE AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, I'M FREE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. BUT THAT'S JUST IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF ORDINANCES. SO TO GET STARTED I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE JUDGE KENNETH BELL. SHE DOES A NUMBER OF THINGS FOR THE COURT. ONE OF THE BIG CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HE MAKES TO THE COURT IS HE WORKS
OVERNIGHT IMAGINMAGISTRATION FO >> I'M KENNETH BELL. I DO OVERNIGHT MAGISTRATE. I HELP WITH TRIAL DOCKETS AND PRETTY MUCH WHEREVER THEY NEED HELP WITH JUDICIAL ASSIGNMENTS. I STARTED OUT AS A PART-TIME JUDGE AND TRANSITIONED TO A FULL-TIME JUDGE ON THE LAST CYCLE.
ANY QUESTIONS. >> ANY QUESTIONS? QUICK COMMENT.
>> YOU WERE A STELLAR INTERVIEW WEE AND WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE THERE -- ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S
OVERNIGHT AND THAT CAN'T BE EASY. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> COUNCIL MEMBER.
>> DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE YOUNG MEN AND THERE WASN'T WHITE HAIR COMING OUT OF OUR CHINS.
>> IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME. >> KEN -- JUDGE BELL IS NOT JUST AN EXCELLENT JUDGE OUT THERE WHO I'M HEARING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT, BUT HE'S ALSO TAKEN THE ST. MARY'S MOCK TRIAL TEAM TO NATIONAL HEIGHTS AND WORKS REALLY ALMOST FOR FREE OUT THERE JUST HELPING STUDENTS AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE GENERATIONS OF LAW STUDENTS IS IMPRESSIVE. I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT FOR A VERY BRIEF MOMENT I WAS A MOCK TRIAL COACH, AND I GOT TO SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, DO SOME WONDERFUL WORK AS A STUDENT. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD TO HAVE YOU STAND IN FRONT OF US. ON TOP OF THAT, THERE'S ONLY TWO LAWYERS IN SAN ANTONIO WHO ARE THE LAST TRUE REMAINING GENTLEMAN LAWYERS. ONE IS ANDY SEGOVIA AND THE OTHER IS YOU. I'M DELIGHTED TO SEE YOU,
MAN. CONGRATULATIONS. I REALLY AM PROUD OF YOU. >> THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP MOCK TRIALS. THEY WERE HAVING MOCK TRIALS WITH SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. WE CONTINUOUSLY TRY TO THINK OF IDEAS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE COURT AND
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COMMUNITY AND JUDGE BELL IS ONE DISCUSSING KIND OF CONTINUING THE MOCK TRIAL TRAINING FOR INTERESTED STUDENTS AND POSSIBLY A COMPETITION IN THE FUTURE. HE HAS ALSO SHOWN A GREAT INTEREST IN TEEN COURT AS WELL. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE HIM AT THE COURT. NEXT -- THAT WOULD BE GREAT.YEAH. THAT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY GOOD. NEXT WE HAVE JUDGE CHAVARRIA. SHE DOES QUITE A BIT OF TRUANCY MEDIATIONS. SHE OVERSEES A LOT OF THOSE TYPE OF PROGRAMS. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE
JUDGE CHAVARRIA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE PRESIDED OVER THE JUVENILE SECTION FOR APPROXIMATELILY 13 YEARS, I THINK, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED IN 2010. PRIOR TO THAT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS. RIGHT NOW WE'RE HEAVY INTO OUR MEDIATIONS, MEANING WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS WE HAVE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS PILING INTO THE COURTROOM NEEDING SOME HELP WITH ATTENDANCE ISSUES. BUT THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO WIND DOWN NOW THAT THE KIDS ARE COMING OUT OF SCHOOL. THE ADMINISTRATION IS ALSO OFF, AND SO WE KIND OF TINY IT UP TOWARD THE END OF DECEMBER, MID DECEMBER. WE'LL START STRONG AGAIN IN JANUARY AND PROBABLY WILL NOT FINISH WITH THAT UNTIL ABOUT MAY AND CONTINUE ON A LITTLE BIT THROUGH THE SUMMER WITH OUR LEVER DOCKETS. THAT'S PRIMARILY WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS WE TRY TO COLLABORATE WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO GET TOGETHER ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO, WHAT'S NEXT AND NEW AS FAR AS INNOVATIVE PRACTICE IN ATTENDANCE AND THE COMMUNITY.
I'LL ANSWER QUESTIONS AS YOU HAVE THEM. >> THANK YOU. I GET TO SAY IT TO EVERYBODY, INCLUDING JUDGE BELL. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I'LL PROBABLY SAY IT FOUR MORE TIMES BUT BEING A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER AND WORKING WITH KIDS AND OUTCOMES WITH THEIR FAMILIES IS IMPORTANT TO ME. I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THAT. SO THANK YOU. DO WE
HAVE ANY COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER. >> THANK YOU. I'M CURRENCY IF YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT TRENDS OF TRUANCA SINCE THE PANDEMIC. HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THAT PLAY OUT.
>> DURING THE PANDEMIC WE KIND OF STOPPED MEDIATIONS. WE WEREN'T ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AS FAR AS HOW THE SCHOOLS WERE TAKING ATTENDANCE BEING ONLINE AND WHATNOT. WHEN WE CAME BACK, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE WAS A TENDENCY FOR THERE TO BE MORE ABSENCES. FOLKS WERE USED TO BEING AT HOME. I THINK FEAR WAS A BIG ISSUE. MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ALSO A BIG ISSUE, SO THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF KIDS IN SCHOOL. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS -- I THINK IT'S TRENDING MORE TO BEING IN PERSON. WE STILL HAVE THE OCCASIONAL I WANT TO DO ONLINE SCHOOL A LOT. I THINK THAT'S A BIG STRUGGLE WITH FAMILIES AND THEIR KIDS WANTING TO DO ONLINE SCHOOL WHEN THEY'RE NOT REALLY PREPARED TO DO THAT AND A LOT OF THE DISTRICTS DON'T OFFER THAT. WE HAVE CASE MANAGERS AVAILABLE WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE ONLINE SCHOOL AREA AND CAN GIVE THE FAMILIES THAT INFORMATION AS NEEDED IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY WANT TO LOOK INTO.
BUT OTHERWISE, I DO SEE A LOT OF RESOURCES NEEDED, AT LEAST COURSE-WISE, WITH FAMILIES NEEDING MENTAL HEALTH HELP FOR THEIR KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE THE TREND IS NOW -- MORE THE FEAR OF THE PANDEMIC IS A LITTLE BIT -- IS NOT AS MUCH, NOT AS PREVALENT. BUT I THINK THERE ARE A LOT MORE ISSUES HAPPENING NOW PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THAT. I
DON'T KNOW. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JUDGE. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> CHAIR: COUNCIL MEMBER? >> PELAEZ: DID YOU EVER THINK WE WOULD BE IN THIS ROOM? I USED TO SIT BEHIND HER IN CLASS. I COULD COPY HER NOTES BECAUSE SHE WAS SMARTER OF US. I
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WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD TALK A LITTLE MORE AT SOME POINT? >> SURE.
>> -- WITH THE JUDGES -- THE PHENOMENON OF THE SOVEREIGN CITIZEN MOVEMENT AND HOW THAT CAN GUM UP SOME OF THE CASES THAT COME BEFORE Y'ALL. I KNOW I PESTERED YOU ABOUT IT AT ONE OF OUR EVENTS, BUT IS THERE A STRATEGY FOR HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S GETTING WORSE IN THE UNITED STATES WITH THE WEIRD Q-ANON
GARBAGE AND THE CONSPIRACY AND THE SWAMP THAT IS THE INTERNET. >> FROM MY PERSPECTIVE I DON'T
SEE A LOT OF IT. >> OKAY. >> I MIGHT HAVE COME INTO IT A
COUPLE TIMES WHEN I DO GENERAL TRAFFIC COURT. >> PELAEZ: YOU STILL DO THAT.
>> YES. IT'S RARE. I DON'T SEE THAT AT ALL IN THE JUVENILE SECTION. I HAVE NOT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. I THINK FOR THE MOST PART WE'RE VERY SOCIAL SERVICES, TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF
THE KID -- REHABILITATIVE SECTION OF WHAT I COVER. >> I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S A STRATEGY TO TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE CASES. WE DO REALLY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SINCE WE ARE A COURT -- TREAT THEM LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. WHAT WE WILL DO IS FOR -- LIKE WE WOULD DO FOR ANYONE ELSE IS IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE CASE WE TRY TO KEEP ALL THE CASES TOGETHER. IF IT'S ASSIGNED TO ONE -- IF IT'S -- LIKE A SPECIALTY COURT, THEN WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT JUDGE HAS ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS THAT -- CASES AS TIMELY AS POSSIBLE, BUT I WOULDN'T SAY THERE'S NECESSARILY ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL STRATEGY FOR THESE TYPES OF CASES.
>> PELAEZ: SURE THERE BE. >> WE WOULDN'T BE A COURT IF WE TREATED SOMEONE DIFFERENTLY
THAN -- >> PELAEZ: NOT DIFFERENTLY BUT SPECIAL. YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE NOT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. BUT SHOULD THERE BE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING
ABOUT WITH THE SOVEREIGN CITIZEN STUFF. >> NO, I DON'T. BUT IT'S
PROBABLY SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS FURTHER. >> PELAEZ: MAYBE WE'LL TALK
ABOUT IT LATER. THANK YOU, JUDGE. NICE SEEING YOU. >> CHAIR: COUNCIL MEMBER
CAS CASTILLO. >> CASTILLO: IS THERE A GENERAL BREAK DOWN FOR WHAT WE SEE TEENS IN COURT FOR BEYOND TRUANCY? WHAT ARE THE TOP REASONS OUTSIDE
OF TRUANCY THAT WE SEE TEENS IN COURT. >> A LOT OF REASONS ARE UNDER VAPING. THEY COME UNDER THE GUISE OF MINOR IN POSSESSION OF TOBACCO -- POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAF PARAFERNALIA. TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, R DISORDERLY CONDUCT. THERE'S A HIGH RATE OF VAPING CASES BEING FILED WITH US. IT'S USUALLY MINOR IN POSSESSION OF TOBACCO OR DRUG PER ITEMS.
>> HAS THERE BEEN AN INCREASE IN -- I BELIEVE THERE'S A LAW -- INCREASED PENALTY IF YOU HAVE AE
PEN ON PROPERTY. >> I THINK IT WAS ALREADY HIGH PRIOR TO ANY CHANGES. I THINK
THAT -- I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN A DECREASE. >> UH-HUH.
>> IT MIGHT CHANGE IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN A DECREASE YET. I DO KNOW THERE'S A HIGH RATE OF THOSE VAPING -- POSSESSION OF TO BACK T -- TOBACCO CASES. A LOT ARE TESTING POSITIVE FOR THC. ANYTHING ELSE?
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>> CHAIR: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO ADD ABOUT THE JUVENILE COURT IS WE HAVE GREAT DEDICATED JUVENILE CASE MANAGERS WHO TAKE THE INITIATIVE OF LEARNING -- THEY ARE TEACHING THEMSELVES, TAKING THE TRAINING TO TEACH YOUTH ENRICHMENT COURSES WHICH INCLUDE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. THEY'RE TEACHING PARENTING CLASSES. SO THEY'RE JUST -- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS, AT NIGHT. THEY'RE TEXTING KIDS' PARENTS, SO THEY'RE JUST REALLY AN AMAZING GROUP WE HAVE WORKING FOR US AT THE COURT. I WANT TO INTRODUCE JUDGE GARRERO. HE HANDLES OUR COMMUNITY COURT, A MONTH LY -- T PAIRS WITH THE SUCCESS PROGRAM. I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO SEE MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, COMMUNITY PARTNERS CONTACTING THE COURT WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS OR INDIVIDUALS ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING HOMELESS. IT'S SOMETHING WE HAD AT THE COURT LONG TIME AGO, SEVERAL YEARS AND WE STARTED THAT UP AGAIN. I'M PLEASED WITH WHAT HE'S DONE WITH THE COURT. HE HELPS QUITE A BIT ON OUR MONTHLY CAMPAIGNS AS WELL. HE HELPS A LOT WITH THE CONTENT AND MESSAGING, SO I DO APPRECIATE HIS EFFORTS. ONE THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT ALL THE JUDGES BEFORE I FORGET IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THESE DUTIES THAT I'M -- THE MAIN FOCUS OF THEIR JOBS, THEY'RE HANDLING APPEARANCE COURT, EVENING MAGISTRATION. THEY HAVE JUDICIAL
DUTIES AS WELL. BUT HERE'S JUDGE GARRERO. >> HELLO, EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE TO MEET WITH YOU AND INTRODUCE OURSELVES. I AM A PRODUCT OF ST.
MARY'S LAW SCHOOL. I CAME HERE IN '85, FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY AND HAVE BEEN HERE EVERY SINCE. I SERVED AT A PART-TIME MAGISTRATE. IN 2001 I WAS APPOINTED TO FULL-TIME JUDGE. I THINK I'M THE SECOND LONGEST SERVING AT THE COURT. AS MENTIONED, IN ADDITION TO ARRAIGNMENT AND OTHER THINGS WE DO -- I ASSIST ON THE ASSAULT DOCKETS AND PRINCIPAL SPECIALTY COURT I'M INVOLVED IN IS THE COMMUNITY COURT. THE OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH WHEN WE WERE SORT OF TRYING TO IMPROVE THE COURT AND WE MODELED IT ON SOME IDEAS WE GOT IN COURTS IN LOS ANGELES AND HOUSTON. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE COURT IS TO TRY TO CONNECT INTEREST ED INDIVIDUAL BEFORE TE COURT WITH PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP THEM GET TO THE ROOT OF WHY THEY'RE IN THE COURT IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES WE HAVE IS ACTUALLY HAVING -- THE WAY TO GET THEM IN THE COURT. ONCE THEY'RE IN COURT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE. WE'VE WORKED WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES, SAM MINISTRIES, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. SO I THINK THE SYNERGY WE'VE CREATED TOGETHER HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND WE'RE MOVING IN A GOOD DIRECTION. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> CHAIR: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. COUNCIL MEMBER. >> IF I REMEMBER, YOU WERE
HANDLING CANINE CASES TOO. IS THAT STILL THE CASE. >> THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN I WAS HANDLING THE ANIMAL CASES. CURRENTLY THAT'S NOT THE ASSIGNMENT I HAVE.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE YOU, JUDGE. >> NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> CHAIR: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN.
>> THANK YOU. >> I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MARGARITA POLL. SHE HDID A GOOD JOB TO HELP CLEAR OUT THE BACKLOG AFTER THE PANDEMIC. I REALLY APPRECIATE HER EFFORTS
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AND SHE WORKS VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY VICTIMS BUT ALSO DEFENDANTS HAVE ACCESS TO JUSTICE IN A TIMELY MANNER. SO I APPRECIATE ALL HER EFFORTS. HER'S MARGARITA POLL.>> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MARGARITA POLL. I HAVE BEEN IN MUNICIPAL COURT -- IT WILL BE 10 YEARS IN THE SPRING. INITIALLY I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE WARRANT COURT -- WARRANT RESOLUTION. THEN I SERVED TIME AS A FULL-TIME MAGISTRATE, DAY MAGISTRATE. THEN RECENTLY RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, ACTUALLY, I WAS ASSIGNED O THE THE ASSAULT COURT AND I HAVE BEEN THERE EVER SINCE. I JUST WANTED TO ANSWER BEFORE I FORGET -- COUNCIL MEMBER PALAEZ -- WE HAVE NOT -- IT SEEMS IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE NOT HAD AS MANY APPEARING IN COURT. I CAN THINK OF ONE IN THE PAST YEAR, TO BE HONEST. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS DEALING WITH SOVEREIGN CITIZENS IS JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THEY WANT TO BE HEARD. IF YOU GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, OFTEN TIMES THEY GO AWAY SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE THEY RECEIVE.
OFTEN TIMES THEY COME LOADED UP WITH ALL THIS LEGAL JARGON THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND BUT SOMEONE HAS TOLD THEM THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY. SO YOU GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY AND THAT IS ALL THEY WANT. JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS, BUT SOMETIMES JUST LISTENING TO THEM AND GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND, EVEN THOUGH THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW MAY NOT BE CORRECT.
SOMETIMES JUST LISTENING TO THEM HELPS. THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE. SO -- IN ASSAULT COURT, WE -- IT'S ONE OF THE HIGH-VOLUME COURTS UNFORTUNATELY IN MUNICIPAL COURT. EVERYBODY GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN, FIND OUT WHAT THEIR CASE IS ABOUT, SPEAK WITH A PROSECUTOR IN REGARDS TO WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE FOR RESOLUTION. THEY COME TO ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THEIR CASE. THE GOAL OF OUR CASE IS TO GIVE PEOPLE SPEEDY ACCESS TO JUSTICE, GET THEIR CASES HEARD, GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO TRY TO KEEP THESE OFFENSES OFF THEIR RECORD SINCE THEY ARE LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES AND WE ALSO WANT TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. SO WE TRY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE AS BEST WE CAN USING THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO ANY QUESTIONS? >> CHAIR: THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCILWOMAN GAVITO?
>> GAVITO: HOW ARE THESE CONSIDERED LOW-LEVEL. >> THERE'S NO INCOURSE RATION ON CLASS C ASSAULT. THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY LOW LEVEL. IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT AN ESCALATION OF OFFENSE, CLASS C IS YOUR LOWEST. IF THERE'S AN INJURY, IT BECOMES A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR UNTIL IT BECOMES A FELONY. IF THEY COMMIT ANOTHER CLASS A MISDEMEANOR, FAMILY VIOLENCE ASSAULT THEY'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL FELONY. IT'S SERIOUS IN THAT REGARD, BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO INTERVENE BEFORE THE VIOLENCE CAN ESCALATE BY HELPING THE VICTIM AND THE DEFENDANT AS BEST WE CAN.
>> GAVITO: JUST SO I UNDERSTAND, SO SOMEONE CAN COMMIT AN ACT OF FAMILY VIOLENCE, HURT A -- A MAN CAN HURT A WOMAN AND IT'S CLASS C -- IT'S NOT SERIOUS.
>> BODILY INJURY WOULD MAKE IT A CLASS A. DEPENDING ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE INJURY IT COULD BE A FELONY. CLASS C IS OFFENSIVE TOUCHING OR THREAT. JUST PUTTING YOUR HAND ON SOMEBODY AND MAYBE PUSHING THEM BUT IT DIDN'T HURT THEM OR MAKING A THREAT TO THEM THAT
THAT PERSON CONSIDERED A REAL THREAT -- >> GAVITO: UH-HUH.
>> SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS A CLASS C ASSAULT. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU.
>> CHAIR: ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. >> JUST TO FURTHER EMPHASIZE WHAT JUDGE POLL SAID, THESE ARE LOW-LEVEL OFFENSES BUT THEY HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF THEY END UP AS CONVICTIONS ON THEIR RECORD. I THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT EACH FAMILY VIOLENCE THAT BECOMES THE COURT IS TREATED LIKE HOMICIDE PREVENTION. JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. NEXT WANT TO
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INTRODUCE JUDGE PETER ZIMORA. HE HAS ONE OF THE MOST PROBABLY DOCKETS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THE MOST QUESTIONS ABOUT -- ONE OF THE DOCKETS THAT HAVE -- YOU HAVE THE MOST QUESTIONS ABOUT.HE IS VERY DILIGENT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT HIS CASES ARE SEEN TIMELY AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HE TRIES TO ENSURE COMPLIANT BEFORE CONVICTION AS MUCH AS HE CAN. THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, BUT I THINK -- MY -- WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR IS THAT WHAT HE'S TRY TO DO FOR THESE TYPES OF CASES. HE HANDLES OUR CITY CODE VIOLATIONS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. ANYTHING FILED AS A CRIMINAL CASE DOES ELECTRONIC SERVICES AND OUR MAIL AS WELL. HERE'S JUDGE ZIM
ZIMORA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO, THOUGH I SPENT TEN YEARS IN AUSTIN WHERE I RECEIVED MY UNDERGRAD AND LAW DEGREE. HOOK THEM HORNS. I GREW UP IN LEE. I SPENT TWO YEARS PRACTICING IN PRIVATE PRACTICE IN AUSTIN WHEN I GRADUATED WITH A NATION-WIDE LAW FIRM. WE HAD OUR SON, MOVED BACK TO SAN ANTONIO IN 2001 AND HAVE BEEN A PROUD RESIDENT OF DISTRICT A. I'VE HANDLED JUST ABOUT EVERY TYPE OF CASE YOU CAN HANDLE AT MUNICIPAL COURT. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO HANDLE THE VARIOUS DOCKETS WITH EXCEPTION OF JUVENILE. I'VE HANDLED THE CODE COMPLIANCE, ANIMAL, TRAFFIC TRIAL. I'M CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF HIGH VOLUME TRAFFIC ARRAIGNMENT -- CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CODE COMPLIANCE.
THAT IS WHAT I TEND TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> CHAIR: THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER GAVITO? >> GAVITO: THANK YOU, CHAIR.
WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE ON HANDLING ALL THE DIFFERENT DOCKETS, WHAT EFFICIENCIES DO YOU SEE OR WHAT
COULD WE BE DOING BETTER? SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT. >> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. I'VE SAID THIS FOR YEARS -- I HATE TO REPEAT IT. I THOUGHT UNDER JUDGE BULL THE COURT DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO THE COURT TO ACCESS THE -- COME INTO COURT, HAVE THEIR CASE HANDLED QUICKLY, FAIRLY, EFFICIENTLY, AND TO EVERYONE'S SATISFACTION. I THINK JUDGE OBLEDO'S CREDIT -- SHE'S ENHANCED IT WITH ONLINE SERVICES, ZOOM SERVICES ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE COURTS IN THE STATE AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. GETTING THE CASES FILED ON TIME -- IN CODE COMPLIANCE ISSUES, GETTING THE CITY ATTORNEY TO REVIEW THEM, GET THEM FILED. IF YOU'RE GOING TO FILE THEM AS CLASS C, GET THEM SET AS INITIAL APPEARANCE AND GET THOSE PERSONS IN. I ASSUME IT'S -- WE'D GET THEM IN QUICKLY. TRAFFIC -- THEY GET THEM IN PRETTY QUICK. MOST OF IT IS ELECTRONIC. I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF GETTING PEOPLE
IN. >> GAVITO: OUTSIDE OF OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES I'M SURE MUNICIPAL COURT SEES THE SAME PEOPLE AGAIN AND AGAIN. I'M WONDERING YOUR THOUGHTS -- WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS OFF LINE -- HOW WE HANDLE SOME OF OUR FREQUENT FLIERS DIFFERENTLY. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME CASES WHERE IT'S CITATION AFTER CITATION AFTER CITATION AND IT'S NOTHING.
I DON'T FEEL IT'S AN EFFECTIVE USE OF OUR TIME. I DON'T FEEL IT'S AN EFFECTIVE USE OF TAX-PAYER DOLLARS AND I'M WONDERING -- IT'S LONG-STANDING, COMPLEX PROBLEM BUT HOW DO WE
THINK CREATIVITY ABOUT THAT. >> YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT. YOU CANNOT CITATION YOUR WAY OUT OF A SERIOUS PROBLEM. IN A CODE COMPLIANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, SITUATION, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A BUSINESS TO CHANGE ITS OPERATIONS BY CONTINUING TO ISSUE CLASS C MISDEMEANOR
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CITATIONS. WE WOULD RATHER THEM USING THAT MONEY TO CLEAN THE PROPERTY UP. I THINK SOME OF THE DARK PROPERTIES GET FILED IN CIVIL COURT AND THEY HAVE AN ABILITY TO DEPRIVE THE OWNER OF OWNERSHIP, FOR EXAMPLE. BUT IT'S REALLY HARD TO -- AS THE JUDGE SAID EARLIER, THESE ARE CLASS C.IF HE'S A FREQUENT FLIER, I'M FINING YOU AGAIN, SIR, OR MA'AM. THAT'S ALL I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO. UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF CODE COMPLIANCE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICE THE CLASS C. THERE ARE SEVERAL AVENUES -- ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING OFFICERS AND CLASS C CASES. THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER HAS THE ABILITY -- YOU CAN'T CITATION A PROBLEM AWAY JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE FINE-ONLY OFFENSES. I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK MORE ABOUT WAYS TO DO THAT.
>> CHAIR: COUNCIL MEMBER. >> WE HAVE A DISTRICT WHERE WITH THEY TOLD ME THE FINE IS NOT A PROBLEM -- I'LL PAY THEM OFF. I'LL GET ANOTHER AND I'LL BE FINE. MY QUESTION IS, CAN YOU GIVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT CLASS C MISDEMEANORS FOR CODE ARE.
>> LET'S SEE. WHAT -- I HAD CODE COMPLIANCE THIS MORNING. THE BIGGEST ONE RIGHT NOW IS SHORT-TERM RENTALS. THE CITY RECENTLY PASSED AN IN ORDINANCE WHERE YOU REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE A PERMIT. IN THAT CASE THE PERSON COMES IN -- MOST DON'T KNOW THEY NEED A PERMIT, IT SEEMS LIKE. WE GIVE THEM A RESET AND WHEN THEY COME BACK IN, IF THEY HAVE THE PERMIT, WE GIVE THEM DEFERRED DISPOSITION. YOU PAY A FINE OF USUALLY ABOUT $150. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE ANOTHER SIMILAR VIOLATION IN THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, YOUR CASE IS DISMISSED. IF THEY COME BACK AND DON'T HAVE THE PERMIT IT MIGHT BE A $300 FINE. THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO TO PREVENT THEM. I GET PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME WHO DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. I'M TELLING YOU YOU CAN'T DRIVE WITHOUT A DRIVER'S LICENSE. TWO MONTHS LATER I SEE HER BACK. THERE'S LIMITED JURISDICTION WE HAVE.
>> THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> CHAIR: JUDGE, A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT -- I WAS LOOKING INTO SAPD CITATIONS FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT AS OPPOSED TO OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT ISSUING CITATIONS, AND PARTICULARLY WE WERE LOOKING AT THESE MINI MARKETS AND CONVENIENCE STORES, RIGHT? AND SO THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, DETECTIVES FROM OUR VICE SQUAD -- I JUST FOUND OUT THE VICE SQUAD DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE. THEY'RE CALLING THEMSELVES SOMETHING DIFFERENT. DETECTIVES FROM -- YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. THEY WOULD WALK INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE AND ISSUE A CITATION FOR -- I DON'T KNOW -- YOUR EXTINGUISHER IS NOT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. ARE YOU SEEING SAPD REFERRED CITATIONS HITTING
CONVENIENCE STORES AND MINI MARTS. >> YES. ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF THE VICE -- WHAT USED TO BE VICE SQUAD. WE WOULD SEE THEM GO INTO ADULT-ORIENTED BUSINESSES TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE PROPER SIGNAGE. MAYBE NOT HAVING ALCOHOL PERMITS ON THE BOTTLES.
THE ONLY CITATIONS WE SEE ARE THOSE TYPE -- THEY'RE GOING TO DO AN INSPECTION, NOT NECESSARILY CODE RELATED BUT THEY FIND CODE VIOLATIONS AND THEY GET FILED AS CODE
VIOLATIONS. >> THAT'S GOOD. ARE YOU SEEING CONVENIENCE STORES AND MINI
MARTS POPPING UP. >> NOT REALLY. MORE OF THE ADULT-ORIENTED BUSINESSES AND I
ASSUME WITH THE NEW ORDINANCE WE MAY SEE MORE OF THAT. >> CHAIR: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SOMETHING I WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THIS SPECIFIC ROUND OF QUESTIONS IS WHENEVER THERE IS A PROBLEM, WHENEVER THERE IS A CRIME THAT OCCURS OR AN INFRACTION OR
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OFFENSE, THE GOAL IS COMPLIANCE, THE GOAL IS FOR IT TO NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, TO PREVENT RECIDIVISM.THINKING OF HOW WE CAN USE MUNICIPAL COURT -- YOU ONLY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT YOU LEGALLY AUTHORITY TO DO. I THINK PERHAPS WE COULD GO OVER DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND WALK US THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PATHS THE SCENARIO COULD TAKE AND WHAT YOUR VIEW AS JUDGES MIGHT BE.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. YEAH, AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY IS IMPORTANT IS THAT AS THE COURT, WE DON'T INVESTIGATE. WE DON'T COLLECT EVIDENCE. THE EVIDENCE -- THE -- A CASE IS FILED WITH THE COURT AND DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S FILED, THEN WE CAN ONLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION A CERTAIN RANGE OF PUNISHMENT DEPENDING ON HOW THE CASE IS FILED. BUT IT IS -- BUT THE COURT DOES NOT CREATE THE CASE TO FILE, COLLECT THE EVIDENCE AND INVESTIGATE TO FILE THE CASE. SO IF A PERSON IS SPEEDING AT 100 MILES PER HOUR, THE MAXIMUM FINE IS $200. IF A MONTH LATER THE PERSON IS SPEEDING AGAIN AT 100 MILES PER HOUR, THE MAXIMUM FINE IS $200. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COURT COSTS, SO IT WOULD BE 134, PLUS THE $200 IF IT WAS NOT IN A SCHOOL ZONE. SO THAT'S WHAT THE COURT CAN TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION. WE CANNOT GO ABOVE THE $200 PLUS COURT COSTS.
IT COULD BE FIVE TIMES IN A YEAR AND IT'S STILL $200. SO.... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME, YOU'VE MET ALL THE FULL-TIME JUDGES -- DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SORRY. YOU MET ALL THE FULL-TIME JUDGES. WE HAVE THE NINE PART-TIME JUDGES WHO WHO MAINLY HANDLE MAGISTRATION ON WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, AND SOME NIGHTS AS WELL. OR THAN THAT YOU'VE -- OTHER THAN THAT YOU'VE MET THE FULL-TIME JUDGES.
>> CHAIR: I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I KNOW YOU'VE DEALT WITH HEAVY ISSUES AT TIMES. IT CAN BE A THANKLESS B JO. I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU BACK AT DIFFERENT TIMES, NOT AT ALL ONCE, TO SHARE WHAT YOU DO WITH THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WATCHING. I HAVE AN IDEA BASED ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL, WHICH WOULD BE TYPES OF OFFENSES SEEN IN MUNICIPAL COURT VERSUS ELSEWHERE. I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO BE MADE. DURING THE CAMPAIGN SEASON THERE WERE DEFERRING THOUGHTS ON WHAT WAS REALITY. WE'LL INITIATE THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AND OBLIGATION TO SET CLEAR AND REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS FOR YOU ALL AS JUDGES AND ALSO TO GET TO KNOW YOU AND THE WORK YOU'RE DOING. WE ALSO HAVE A FEW TOPICS THAT I KNOW WERE OF INTEREST TO SOME OF OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, SUCH AS DATA PROCESSES AND PATTERNS RELATED TO ENFORCEMENT OF ANIMAL CARE SERVICES AND SPEEDING AND OTHER TRAFFIC-RELATED INCIDENTS.
I KNOW SOME WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT TRAINING REGARDING MENTAL HEALTH CASES. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS. ANY OTHER TOPICS OR ISSUES THAT COME TO MIND FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
>> (INDISCERNIBLE). QUICK SUGGESTION THAT WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE CRITERIA TO BECOME A JUDGE. THE THREE-YEAR RESIDENCE CRITERIA. LAST TIME AROUND THERE WAS A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT QUALIFIED FOLKS WHO WERE DISQUALIFIED -- I GUESS THEY WEREN'T QUALIFIED. OTHERWISE THEY WERE QUALIFIED BUT FOR THE THREE-YEAR RESIDENTS. IT'S MORE STRINGENT THAN COUNCIL. FOR JUDGES IT'S THREE YEARS IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. I WONDER IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT.
>> CHAIR: SOUNDS GOOD. ANDY, CAN YOU SHARE WHAT YOU JUST SHARED WITH ME?
>> SEGOVIA: THE CRITERIA, THAT'S BY ORDINANCE. WE'LL CHECK IF IT'S A STATE LAW REQUIREMENT.
IF IT'S BY ORDINANCE, THE COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER CHANGES TO THAT, COUNCILWOMAN.
>> I WAS THINKING IT WAS BY STATE LAW. I'LL HAVE TO CHECK THAT.
>> I KNOW I WANT TO SIT -- I GOT MY MASTER'S IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP. DID NOT HAVE
[00:40:02]
INTEREST IN -- I'D LOVE TO COME OBSERVE SOME OF YOU GUYS ALL AT WORK DOING THE WONDERFUL THINGS YOU DO. I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME, ESPECIALLY SO THAT WE CAN BE AS THOROUGH AS POSSIBLE WHEN MAKING OUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE FU FUTURE. BUT -- ANY OTHER LAST-MINUTE THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE.>> NOTHING FROM ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >> THE THREE-YEAR RESIDENCY IS IN THE CHARTER. THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE OUTDATED, SUPERSEDED -- THE COMMITTEE
COULD LOOK AT. >> CHARTER AMENDMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I HAVE TO REMEMBER THE JOKE I MADE LAST TIME. WE MAY BE A WHATABURGER TOWN, BUT WE ARE IN AND OUT. THANK YOU
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.