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Municipal Court

Municipal Court Staff

Judge
Bob Richter
Prosecutor
Randy Strong
Court Clerk
Diane Stokes

Municipal Court Hours

Monday – Thursday
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
8:30 am – 12:00 noon
Saturday – Sunday
Closed

Municipal Court Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Failure to Appear Warrant?

A telephone call does not constitute an appearance. Any requests for action on a case has to be made in person before the date you are to appear. Otherwise, you are in danger of receiving a Failure to Appear Warrant.

How can payment be made on my ticket?
  • In Person:
    • Personal checks, money orders, cash and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard Amex & Discover) will be accepted at the Court Clerk’s Office window located at the address above. A 5% service fee will be applied to credit card payments.
  • By Mail:
    • Payments by personal check or money order may be made by mailing to the address above. Please do not put cash in the mail. Payments sent by mail must be accompanied by a signed plea form (see back of ticket).
  • By Telephone:
    • Payments by credit card can be may 24-hour a day by calling 800.444.1187. A service fee will be applied to credit card payments. 
  • By Internet:
    • Payments using a credit card can be may 24-hour a day online. A service fee will be applied to credit card payments. [click here]
What if I need to make payments?

If you desire payments, you will be required to fill out an application at the court clerk’s office on or before your court date. If you meet the qualifications, you will be given a payment plan. Please keep in mind that there is a $25.00 fee for each violation put on the payment plan if the fine is not paid within 30-days.

Where is my ticket filed?

Our court only processes cases originated with the City of Shoreacres.

Some Terms You Might Hear in Court

PLEA – Call the Court Clerk for more information

The defendant’s response to a charge made against him/her: speeding, running a stop sign, no insurance (fail to maintain financial responsibility).  May be one of the following:

  1. PLEA OF NOT GUILTY

Plea of a person who claims not to have committed the crime of which he/she is accused, at which point the person may have:

  1. TRIAL BY JURY-A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a trial in which a jury (not a judge) makes a finding of innocence or guilt, or
  • TRIAL BY JUDGE / COURT-A trial by judge (instead of a jury), also called a bench trial, at which the prosecutor will present evidence usually through a police officer witness, you can ask questions of the witness, and then present your case to the court, and the judge will decide innocence or guilt. No jury will be present to decide the case.
  • PLEA OF NOLO CONTENDERE (No Contest)

A plea by which a defendant in a criminal prosecution accepts conviction as though a guilty plea had been entered but does not admit guilt.

  • PLEA OF GUILTY

A plea admitting that you did what you’re charged with instead of insisting that the prosecution prove you guilty.  If you plead guilty, the Judge will find you guilty but can consider any factors to lessen the punishment.

PAYMENT PLAN – Call the Court Clerk for more information

A payment plan is a plan for paying an outstanding fine and costs. A plan that is agreed upon by the Defendant and the Court to pay a certain amount of money each specified period in order to pay fines and costs over a period of time.  The State charges a $25.00 fee per violations still open after the 30th day of conviction.  The payment fee(s) will be added to your total fine(s) after the 30th day.

DRIVING SAFETY COURSE – Call the Court Clerk for more information

A Driving Safety Course is a state and nationally accredited course whereby drivers can take this course in order to get a moving traffic ticket dismissed.  See websites https://www.onlinetxdefensivedrivingcourse.com

The Court will dismiss your case and report to the Texas Department of Public Safety the date that you successfully completed a course for inclusion on your driving record instead of a conviction.  You will also need to provide a certified copy of your driving record which you can download from the DPS website https://txapps.texas.gov/tolapp/txldrcdr/txdpslicensemaqnager  You may return these documents to the Court, In Person, Through the Mail, or be placed in the night drop at City Hall.

THIS CAN ALL BE DONE ONLINE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO ANYWHERE.

DEFERRED DISPOSITION – Call the Court Clerk for more information

Deferred disposition is a court process that permits a defendant to serve an unsupervised probationary period and avoid a conviction on his or her record. The defendant commonly pleads guilty or no contest to an offense, pays a fine, and adheres to conditions imposed by the court, usually including receiving no other traffic citations, maintaining insurance, or a valid operator’s license during the probationary period.

If you know how you want to dispose of your case, please contact the Court prior to your Court Date and we can take care of everything, so you do not have to appear in Court.

If you simply want to pay your citation, please go to the website below or call the toll-free number and make your payment.  You will need your Citation number.

You DO NOT have to WAIT till your COURT DATE to HANDLE YOUR CASE. The information ABOVE are the OPTIONS you have to handle your case.

ANY PAYMENT CAN BE MADE 24 Hours a day AT www.trafficpayment.com or by calling 1-800-444-1187.

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Please note that a plea form must accompany any request or disposition for any citation that is received if the fine and costs are mailed in prior to your initial court date. Proper attire and conduct in court is expected and enforced.