Court

A municipal court has jurisdiction over violations of city ordinances and, within the city limits, also have jurisdiction with justice of the peace courts over Class C misdemeanor criminal cases where the punishment upon conviction is by fine only.

Hours:
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Mon., Wed., Thurs., Fri.,

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Tues.
*End of business at 4:30 p.m. each day.

*To be considered current day’s business, any payments and correspondence must be placed in the Safe Drop Box by 4:30 p.m. daily.  Any business after 4:30 p.m. will be considered next day business.

There are several ways to enter a plea with the Municipal Court:

• Online: Search for your citation by number and date, name, drivers license, or vehicle information.
• By mail or in person (with citation): Sign the back of your citation indicating your plea and either bring it to the court or mail it to us.
• Drop box: Use the court’s drop box by completing an envelope with your plea and signature. The envelope will include instructions and available options.
• In person at the court: Visit the court and go to the cashier window, where you will be asked to complete and sign a plea form.
• By phone (IVR system): Enter a plea using the court’s automated phone system.

Please note: If a payment is made by phone or mailed to the court without any additional instructions, it will be processed as a plea of no contest.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact the court.

1. You are presumed innocent unless proven guilty at a trial. At the start of any criminal prosecution, the person accused is initially considered innocent of the charge and no fines or other punishment are assessed. You are not required to prove you are innocent. If you wish to have a trial, the prosecuting attorney will be required to present evidence that shows your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If there is a reasonable doubt then you would be found "Not Guilty" at the trial.

2. You have the right to remain silent. You don't have to make any statements or present any evidence or testimony. Sometimes before trial, the prosecuting attorney may listen to "your side of the case" in determining whether to offer you a plea deal. If you decline the state's offer and still wish to have a trial, the prosecuting attorney could use your statements against you in that trial. Also, any statements made during a pretrial court proceeding are recorded and also could be used against you in trial.

3. You have the right to hire your own attorney. Everyone has the right to hire an attorney to represent them in court. The law does not provide for a free, court-appointed attorney of Class C tickets filed with a Municipal Court. If you have questions about your rights or what options are available, you should contact a lawyer. If you decide not to hire an attorney, no one else can represent you in court. You will simply represent yourself.

4. You have the right to plea guilty, not guilty or no contest.

5. You have the right to have trial before a Judge or a Jury. A Judge Trial, sometimes called a bench trial, is where the Judge will decide the outcome of the case based on the evidence presented at trial and the applicable law. A Jury Trial is when the Judge brings 20+ members of the community into the Court House. The Judge, prosecutor and defendant will work together until six are selected to serve on the Jury. Instead of the Judge hearing the case and making a decision of "Guilty" or "Not Guilty," the Jury would make that decision.

6. You have the right to receive a copy of the complaint before trial. The complaint is the formal charging instrument in the Municipal Court. It is a one page form, prepared by the prosecuting attorney, which contains the legal elements of the alleged violation. If the prosecuting attorney proves each of those elements beyond a reasonable doubt, she is entitled to a finding of "Guilty." Issues outside of the complaint might not affect the issue of whether someone will be found "guilty" or "not guilty."

7. You have a right to see what evidence the State may present against you at trial. "Discovery" is when you send a written request to the prosecuting attorney asking to see any documents, videos or other evidence that she may use in trial. The request must be submitted at least 30 days before the trial date unless otherwise ordered by the Court. If you need help finding contact information for the prosecutor, you can call the court.

The judgment and sentence for the offense you are charged is the payment of a fine and fees. If ordered to pay a fine and fees, and you cannot pay, notify the court immediately. If you are determined by the court to have insufficient resources or income to pay, the court is required to provide you other ways to discharge the fine and fees.

For individuals representing themselves in court, also known as pro se litigants, please refer to the following online resources for more information.

• Office of Court Administration
• Texas Court Help
• Texas Appleseed
• Texas Law Help
• Texas State Law Library