Municipal Judge

About This Role

This part-time judge position assists with all operations, services, and activities of the Municipal Court. The role involves working from the A. D. Marshall Municipal Court Building and the Belknap Detention Center in downtown Fort Worth.

Responsibilities

• Preside over various dockets as assigned, including plea dockets, juvenile/truancy dockets, environmental/code dockets, revocation dockets, arraignment dockets, and other dockets as necessary
• Arbitrate disputes and advise counsel, jury, litigants, and Court personnel on Court procedures
• Administer the judicial system and settle disputes between opposing parties
• Issue search and arrest warrants
• Set and forfeit bail for Class C misdemeanors falling under municipal court jurisdiction
• Set bail for felony and misdemeanor arrest warrants
• Process Class C warrant queues, administrative dockets, cash dockets, and miscellaneous dockets
• Review new laws, major court decisions, and other pertinent information relevant to Court procedures and operations on an ongoing basis
• Attend staff meetings, as well as required continuing legal and judicial education
• Ensure availability to work all shifts, including overnights and weekends

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school
• Two or more years of increasingly responsible experience in the practice of law in Texas
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid license as an attorney issued by the Supreme Court of the State of Texas, and a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas
• Be a citizen of the United States and the State of Texas
• Reside in Fort Worth at the time of appointment
• Maintain residence in Fort Worth during the tenure of office
• Pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility

Nice to have:

• Organization and time management skills
• Ability to maintain control of a courtroom
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Ability to resolve conflict
• Strong decision-making and critical thinking skills in accordance with law, regulation, and policies
• Ability to interpret and apply legal principles and knowledge to complex legal problems
• Ability to analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships

Important Details

• Application deadline: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
• Schedule: Up to 19 hours per week; on duty and/or on-call 24 hours per day, 365 days per year; specific work assignments include day, evening, and weekend shifts; required to work weekdays, weekends, holidays, vacations, and as needed when full-time judges are off
• Locations: A. D. Marshall Municipal Court Building at 1000 Throckmorton Street; Belknap Detention Center at 350 W. Belknap
• Contract: Appointed or reappointed for a term of two years, commencing April 1 of each even-numbered year
• Working Conditions: Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, walking and repetitive motions; sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, with occasional walking and standing, and exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally

About the Company

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing large cities in the U.S. Its employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability.