Travis County Clerk's office

[ralewis]

For those of you in the Austin area who may be familiar with this location...

I went to the Travis County Clerk's office on Airport Blvd in Austin the other day to submit a passport application, and there was a 'no weapons' sign. There doesn't seem to be a courthouse in the building. I didn't think there was a prohibition on carrying there, but I decided to leave it in the car anyway. Seems to be some court-related functions in the building however. Jury duty and something called Commissioner's Court. Anyone see any reason why it's a prohibited place?

[Keith B]

For those of you in the Austin area who may be familiar with this location...

I went to the Travis County Clerk's office on Airport Blvd in Austin the other day to submit a passport application, and there was a 'no weapons' sign. There doesn't seem to be a courthouse in the building. I didn't think there was a prohibition on carrying there, but I decided to leave it in the car anyway. Seems to be some court-related functions in the building however. Jury duty and something called Commissioner's Court. Anyone see any reason why it's a prohibited place?

No weapons sign or not, if there are courts in the building and it is not partitioned off where you can't get into the courts area, then it would be off limits. Commissioner's Court is definitely a court, and if they have Jury Selection there, it may well be considered a court also.

[n5wd]

For those of you in the Austin area who may be familiar with this location...

I went to the Travis County Clerk's office on Airport Blvd in Austin the other day to submit a passport application, and there was a 'no weapons' sign. There doesn't seem to be a courthouse in the building. I didn't think there was a prohibition on carrying there, but I decided to leave it in the car anyway. Seems to be some court-related functions in the building however. Jury duty and something called Commissioner's Court. Anyone see any reason why it's a prohibited place?

No weapons sign or not, if there are courts in the building and it is not partitioned off where you can't get into the courts area, then it would be off limits. Commissioner's Court is definitely a court, and if they have Jury Selection there, it may well be considered a court also.

In Texas, the County Commissioner's Court is the place where the county commissioners do the business of running the county. It is not a court where a jury is empaneled - it's an administrative meeting, but still a court, according to the penal code.

[Keith B]

For those of you in the Austin area who may be familiar with this location...

I went to the Travis County Clerk's office on Airport Blvd in Austin the other day to submit a passport application, and there was a 'no weapons' sign. There doesn't seem to be a courthouse in the building. I didn't think there was a prohibition on carrying there, but I decided to leave it in the car anyway. Seems to be some court-related functions in the building however. Jury duty and something called Commissioner's Court. Anyone see any reason why it's a prohibited place?

No weapons sign or not, if there are courts in the building and it is not partitioned off where you can't get into the courts area, then it would be off limits. Commissioner's Court is definitely a court, and if they have Jury Selection there, it may well be considered a court also.

In Texas, the County Commissioner's Court is the place where the county commissioners do the business of running the county. It is not a court where a jury is empaneled - it's an administrative meeting, but still a court, according to the penal code.

Understand, but the OP said Jury duty AND Commisioner's Court. They apprently conduct both there.

[ralewis]

From the web site, this is the location and what is done there...

Recording, Elections, Computer Resources, Accounting, and Administration Divisions
5501 Airport Boulevard
Austin, TX

Seems to be an administrative place not a courthouse. I did see signs for the Commissioners Court and Jury selection, but they may have been in a physically separate building.

I'm asked mostly because this is one of those quirky cracks in the CHL laws where it's unclear what the rules are. I've been there twice, and haven't carried there because it's ambiguous at least and a prohibited place at most.

[srothstein]

Just to be technically accurate, the forbidden place is not just the court, but includes offices used by the court. If they are having the jury panel meet in the building, it is offices used by the court. That avoids any question of whether commissioner's court is a court within the meaning of the statute.

[RPB]

Just to be technically accurate, the forbidden place is not just the court, but includes offices used by the court. If they are having the jury panel meet in the building, it is offices used by the court. That avoids any question of whether commissioner's court is a court within the meaning of the statute.

I wish "used" or "offices utilized by a Court" was explained better; ..utilizing an office for a Judge's secretary...utilizing an office for storage of unused broken Court furniture when they upgrade the seating.

There's a cafe/diner table I'm still utilizing to store the gum I parked under it there in the 1960s, IF I can recall where it was; the flavor hadn't gone out of it yet. I guess I'll be utilizing it for storage until I retrieve it.

[i8godzilla]

I like Florida's approach to the problem.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/ind ... 90.33.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(3) PROHIBITIONS; PENALTIES.—
(a) Any person, county, agency, municipality, district, or other entity that violates the Legislature’s occupation of the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition, as declared in subsection (1), by enacting or causing to be enforced any local ordinance or administrative rule or regulation impinging upon such exclusive occupation of the field shall be liable as set forth herein.
(b) If any county, city, town, or other local government violates this section, the court shall declare the improper ordinance, regulation, or rule invalid and issue a permanent injunction against the local government prohibiting it from enforcing such ordinance, regulation, or rule. It is no defense that in enacting the ordinance, regulation, or rule the local government was acting in good faith or upon advice of counsel.
(c) If the court determines that a violation was knowing and willful, the court shall assess a civil fine of up to $5,000 against the elected or appointed local government official or officials or administrative agency head under whose jurisdiction the violation occurred.

[A-R]

I like Florida's approach to the problem.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/ind ... 90.33.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(3) PROHIBITIONS; PENALTIES.—
(a) Any person, county, agency, municipality, district, or other entity that violates the Legislature’s occupation of the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition, as declared in subsection (1), by enacting or causing to be enforced any local ordinance or administrative rule or regulation impinging upon such exclusive occupation of the field shall be liable as set forth herein.
(b) If any county, city, town, or other local government violates this section, the court shall declare the improper ordinance, regulation, or rule invalid and issue a permanent injunction against the local government prohibiting it from enforcing such ordinance, regulation, or rule. It is no defense that in enacting the ordinance, regulation, or rule the local government was acting in good faith or upon advice of counsel.
(c) If the court determines that a violation was knowing and willful, the court shall assess a civil fine of up to $5,000 against the elected or appointed local government official or officials or administrative agency head under whose jurisdiction the violation occurred.