Cameron County Courts at Law

Honorable Judge
Arturo A. McDonald, Jr.

974 E. Harrison St.-Judicial Building
Brownsville Texas, 78520
Ph. (956) 544-0855
Fax (956) 548-9542

Court Staff:

EMERGENCY STANDING ORDER

Honorable Judge
Laura L. Betancourt

974 E. Harrison St.-Judicial Building
Brownsville Texas, 78520
Ph. (956) 544-0856
Fax (956) 504-3678

Court Staff:

EMERGENCY STANDING ORDER

COVID 19 UPDATE
Effective Immediately

All court proceeding for Cameron County Court at Law #2 will be livestreamed through Youtube by clicking  the following link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZFwneQeDFUBxjazQn-Hplw until further notice.

Honorable Judge
David Gonzales III

974 E. Harrison St.-  Judicial Building
Brownsville Texas, 78520
Ph. (956) 574-8136
Fax (956) 574-8140

Court Staff:
Court Administrator: Laura P. Perez-Reyes
Court Coordinator: Nelly Sanchez
Court Reporter: Ms. Bernadette “Bernie” Mathis

Records Coordinator: Sandra Forno Cisneros
Bailif: Leofredo Peña

Contact Information:

All inquiries regarding Criminal Cases, email Court Administrator at  Lpperez@co.cameron.tx.us

All inquiries regarding Civil Cases, email Court Coordinator at NSanchez@co.cameron.tx.us

All inquiries regarding services and Criminal information, email Records Coordinator at Sandra.forno2@co.cameron.tx.us

All inquiries regarding transcripts, email Court Report at BKM148@aol.com

EMERGENCY STANDING ORDER

Civil dockets will be held via Zoom at 9:30 AM on Tuesdays.

Criminal dockets for noncustodial defendants will be held via Zoom at 9:30 AM on Thursdays.

Criminal dockets for defendants in custody will be held via Zoom at 10 AM on Thursdays.

Public access is available at  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7-lXsjghvvJn6kLiq7hpzg

Honorable Judge Sheila Garcia-Bence

County Court At Law 4
974 E. Harrison St.
Brownsville, TX, 78520

956-574-8116

Court Staff:

Court Administrator: All inquiries regarding Probate Cases, and Small Estate Affidavits, email
Melissa Rocha; Melissa.Rocha@co.cameron.tx.us 956-574-8732

Court Coordinator: All inquiries regarding Guardianship and Civil Cases, email
Tanya Miracle; Tanya.Miracle@co.cameron.tx.us  956-574-8116

Court Reporter: Sydnee Schwab; Sydnee.Schwab@co.cameron.tx.us  956-356-6371

Bailiff: Jesse Betancourt; Jesse.Betancourt@co.cameron.tx.us

Court Investigator: All inquiries regarding initial and annual visits to the ward, and Annual Reports, email
Mindy Escamilla; Mindy.Escamilla@co.cameron.tx.us 956-356-6372

Court Auditor: All inquiries regarding the filing of Inventories, Annual Accounts, and Annual Reports email
Krystal Mallen; Krystal.Mallen@co.cameron.tx.us  956-574-8707

EMERGENCY STANDING ORDER

COVID UPDATE #3

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

In compliance with the Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals Third Emergency Order prohibiting conducting non-essential proceedings in person contrary to local, state, and national directives, all County Court at Law No. 4  in-person proceedings of any size are delayed until at least June 1.  We will continue to hold essential and non essential dockets on a weekly basis via televideoconferencing.

In compliance with the Office of Court Administration guidance regarding Public Access to Remote Hearings during the COVID-19 Pandemic all Cameron County Court at Law No.4 dockets will be livestreamed on YouTube.  You may watch the proceedings at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Aex-cTEP7s7PJ1W0t-2DQ

Honorable Judge
Estela Chavez – Vasquez

County Court At Law 5
974 E. Harrison St.- Judicial Building
Brownsville Texas, 78520

Ph. (956) 356-6567

Court Staff:

COVID-19 Operating Plan for Cameron County Judiciary

• The Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals Third Emergency Order has prohibited conducting non-essential proceedings in person contrary to local, state, and national directives, whichever is most restrictive, regarding maximum group size. The limitation on group size would apply the local stay-at-home or shelter in place order standards to court proceedings.
• In-person proceedings of any size should be delayed until at least June 1.
• Essential proceedings should occur in-person only if holding the proceeding remotely is not possible or feasible.
• If essential proceedings must be held in-person, the court should ensure that:
  EXCEPTION: Essential proceedings may occur in-person in excess of the 10-person maximum if the law requires more than 10 persons for the proceedings, such as grand jury deliberations. Participants should be separated consistent with social distancing and should wear face coverings where possible.
  • No more than 10 persons are gathered in the courtroom or in areas around the courtroom (see exception below);
  • Participants wear face coverings where possible; and
  • Participants in the courtroom are separated consistent with social distancing and other precautions.
• No non-essential proceedings should be held in-person.
• With the introduction of the remote proceedings capability through Zoom, most non-essential proceedings, except for jury trials, can be conducted remotely, and there are no limitations on those remote proceedings so long as reasonable notice and access is provided to the participants and the public.

We will be issuing updated and detailed guidance soon regarding if and how courts should consider bringing teleworking staff back to the courthouse and how in-person proceedings should be handled when the orders allow that to occur.

EMERGENCY STANDING ORDER

Effective immediately Cameron County Court at Law #5 will be having Jail docket
every Tuesday at 10:30am