Have you been caught speeding? If so, you have a choice to
make. You can either pay the fine or you can go to court for the
ticket. If you do decide to go to Texas traffic court, you may
discover that you need a little bit of help untangling the sometimes
tangled threads that compose the Texas judicial system. You're not
alone-Texas is known for having one of the most complicated court
systems in the nation. Here is a brief look at the types of courts that
handle traffic tickets in Texas.
Justice of the Peace or Municipal Court?
Every county in Texas has a Justice of the Peace court, called a JP
for short. Larger counties usually have several. Texas has a total of
826 Justice of the Peace Courts. Cities can also have their own courts,
called municipal courts. Approximately 908 cities and towns across the
state have their own municipal courts. Both JP's and municipal courts
can be Texas traffic courts, as they are both responsible for dealing
with Class "C" misdemeanors like traffic tickets. How do you know where
to go for your court date? First, think about where you got stopped. If
it was in the middle of nowhere, and not in a city or town with a
municipal court, you’ll go before a JP. In cities that have municipal
courts, the cases are generally divided up based on who issued the
ticket. If it was a local police officer, your ticket will go to
municipal court. If it was a deputy sheriff or a state trooper, the
Justice of the Peace will take it. However, to avoid any potential
mishaps on the day of your Texas traffic court date, check the back of
your ticket to be sure you know where to appear!
If you decide to appeal the verdict of your Texas traffic ticket, your
appeal will be heard in a county court at law. The county courts are
responsible for hearing appeals to verdicts issued by municipal courts
and JP’s. Depending on whether or not the lower court is officially a
"court of record," the county court may even have to hold an entirely
new trial.
Duties of the Court
Both JP's and municipal courts have similar duties when it comes to
hearing traffic cases. By law, they are supposed to provide a chance
for each citizen to have his or her case heard in a fair and timely
manner. The court is responsible for assigning a judge to hear your
case, accept your plea and issue a ruling. The judges also may dismiss
charges if they feel they are not valid or if certain conditions are
met, such attending traffic school for a traffic violation. Texas
traffic courts are also responsible for setting fines in cases where
the fine has not already been set by law. This is why fines for
speeding and other traffic violations can vary so much from place to
place in Texas-each local municipal or JP court is able to set their
own fines for these violations. Texas traffic courts are also
responsible for collecting all fines for the judgments they assess.
Finally, Texas traffic courts are responsible for keeping records of
all the cases that they hear and for reporting any moving violation
convictions to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Services Provided
Other than their main duty of handling traffic cases, Texas traffic
courts also provide several other relevant services. They can set up
payment plans for people who are not able to pay their fines all at
once. They can also provide a list of state-approved defensive driving
courses, such as Driving University. Also, the court may offer
web-based services depending on the municipality. For example, some
courts offer ability to look up fine amounts and pay fines online.
If you end up having to go to a Texas traffic court, don’t forget that
you can dismiss one ticket per year by taking a defensive driving
class. You’ll have to bring a certified copy of your driving record to
court, and advise the judge that you want to take the defensive driving
course. If the judge agrees, you can take the Driving University course
online. Driving University’s online course is state-approved for ticket
dismissal and insurance discounts, and you can take it at home on your
computer. Remember, we can help you get your traffic ticket dismissed
easily and conveniently.
Traffic Court Listings By City
Cities A-C
Cities D-F
Cities G-I
Cities J-L
Cities M-O
Cities P-R
Cities S-U
Cities V-Z
