Court Dates
If a Defendant would like to plead Not Guilty and request a Trial by Judge or Jury, the Defendant may make his or her request by mail or in person within twenty (20) days from the date of offense. If the Defendant appears in person to request a Jury Trial, there is a mandatory Pre-Trial Hearing the Defendant MUST attend.
If the Defendant makes his or her request for a court date more than the twenty (20) business days from the date of the offense, he or she must appear in person. PLEASE NOTE: If the defendent fails to appear for a scheduled court date, a warrant for arrest for the citation will be issued immediately.
Appropriate attire is required in the courtroom. No shorts, miniskirts, hats, t-shirts, or tank tops of any kind are permitted. No cell phones or pagers are allowed in the court room. PLEASE NOTE: If a Defendant fails to appear as stated, a notice will be sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety to suspend the Defendant's Driver's License or prohibit the Defendant from recieving or renewing their license. If a Defendant was issued a citation for Failure To Maintain Financial Responsibility (No Insurance) or for an Expired Violation, the Defendant may present proof to the Judge and request to have the citation dismissed. A Defendant may request a trial date, a Driving Safety Course, or Deferred Disposition from the Judge.
Juveniles
If a Defendant is 16 years of age or younger and was issued a traffic citation, or 20 years of age or younger and was issued an alcohol, the Defendant’s parent/guardian will be required to appear in court before the Municipal Judge with the juvenile. Appropriate attire is required in the courtroom. No shorts, miniskirts, hats, t-shirts, or tank tops of any kind are permitted. No Cell Phones or Pagers are allowed in the court room.
A child and parent required to appear before the Court have an obligation to provide the Court in writing with the current address and residence of the child. The obligation does not end when the child reaches age 17. Within one week of changing residence, the child or parent shall notify the Court of the new address. A violation of this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor and may result in more violations and fines. The obligation to provide notice terminates on discharge and satisfaction of the judgment or final disposition not requiring a finding of guilt.