Criminal Justice Resources
How do I reset my court date?
Only the judge presiding over your case can reset your court date. The phone numbers to the various criminal courts are listed below.
Main Line: 979-849-5711
County Court at Law 1 – Judge Mills’ extension 1260
County Court at Law 2 – Judge Holder’s extension 1571
County Court at Law 3 – Judge Warren’s extension 1603
County Court at Law 4 – Judge Rickert’s extension 1980
Directions to Court
Brazoria County Courthouse
111 E. Locust St,
Angleton, TX 77515
Criminal Trespass
All land in this country is private property. In a legal context Public Property is: highways, byways, roads, streets, and some parking lots. If you are told to leave a property by the owner or manager of that property, you MUST leave. If the property is posted “No Trespassing,” that means YOU.
Criminal Trespass is a very common charge used by store owners, apartment managers, angry girlfriends, and some angry boyfriends. If you are asked to leave a property, LEAVE. It is far cheaper to just leave a property than to be arrested, sit in jail, pay a bond, and hire an attorney to represent you.
Pedestrian Stops
If you are walking and there is a sidewalk provided, you must walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk provided, then you are allowed to walk on the side of the street. DO NOT walk in the middle of the street.
Officers are allowed to approach anyone and ask for identification. You must provide identification or state your correct name if you do not have identification.
Refuse a search of your person or belongings if you are not being detained or under arrest.
IF YOU DO NOT GIVE THE COPS A LEGAL REASON TO ARREST/DETAIN YOU, THEN THE COPS WILL HAVE NO LEGAL REASON TO SEARCH YOU.
Vehicular Stops, In General
When you are being alerted that an officer wants you to stop your vehicle (siren or lights), pull over in a timely and safe manner. Remain in your vehicle. Keep your hands on the steering wheel. Know where your identification, vehicle registration and insurance is. Wait for the officer to approach.
When the officer asks you for identification, vehicle registration, and insurance, tell the officer where the items are located in the vehicle, ask him if you can retrieve the items, then get the items and hand them to the officer. Always be gracious and polite.
- If the stop is going further than a traffic infraction and a ticket being issued, decline requests to search you or the vehicle.
- If the officer asks, “Is there anything in here I need to know about,” the answer is NO. if you answer, “Not that I know of,” that is an invitation for the officer to keep asking questions.
- If you know you have open warrants, still pull over. Running from the cops in a vehicle NEVER works out in your favor. It is better to be arrested for traffic tickets than to have to defend a Felony Evading charge.
If you do not have identification with you, give your correct name and correct date of birth to the officer. In this instance, lying NEVER pays off. Lying to cops about who you are will get you a Failure to Identify charge.