Which statement about complaint handling for felonies is true?

Which statement about complaint handling for felonies is true?

• A. Only justices of the peace may conduct peace bond hearings.
• B. Municipal judges, acting as magistrates, may accept a complaint (probable cause affidavit) for a felony.
• C. Only district court judges may issue a felony complaint.
• D. A peace officer may dismiss a case filed by a citation.

Answer: (B)

Felony complaints begin with a sworn statement that shows probable cause. In Texas, a magistrate has the authority to receive that complaint, and this includes municipal judges who are serving as magistrates. So a municipal judge acting in that magistrate capacity can accept a felony complaint (the probable cause affidavit) and move the process forward, such as by handling the initial steps toward the district court system. This is why the statement about municipal judges, acting as magistrates, accepting a felony complaint is the true one. The other options don’t fit because peace bond hearings aren’t limited only to justices of the peace—any magistrate, including a municipal judge acting as a magistrate, can handle them. It’s also not correct that only district court judges may issue a felony complaint; magistrates have that authority at the initial stage. And a peace officer cannot unilaterally dismiss a case filed by a citation—the dismissal decision lies with the prosecutor or the court, not the officer.

Felony complaints begin with a sworn statement that shows probable cause. In Texas, a magistrate has the authority to receive that complaint, and this includes municipal judges who are serving as magistrates. So a municipal judge acting in that magistrate capacity can accept a felony complaint (the probable cause affidavit) and move the process forward, such as by handling the initial steps toward the district court system. This is why the statement about municipal judges, acting as magistrates, accepting a felony complaint is the true one.

The other options don’t fit because peace bond hearings aren’t limited only to justices of the peace—any magistrate, including a municipal judge acting as a magistrate, can handle them. It’s also not correct that only district court judges may issue a felony complaint; magistrates have that authority at the initial stage. And a peace officer cannot unilaterally dismiss a case filed by a citation—the dismissal decision lies with the prosecutor or the court, not the officer.