Justices Peace: Traffic Tickets

On any traffic offense, you have the absolute right to plead Not Guilty and request a trial.

If you wish to plead Not Guilty, you may request trial by Judge or Jury. That choice is yours. You are not required to have an attorney in Court, but you may hire one if you wish. The District Attorney of Collin County will have an attorney present to prosecute the case against you. The Judge is prohibited, by Law, from discussing your ticket with you unless you have pled guilty or no contest or the District Attorney is also present.

If you choose to go to Court, you are responsible for bringing all papers, pictures, and exhibits with you to the Court hearing. You may also contact the Court for information on how to subpoena witnesses.

You may also plead Guilty or Nolo Contendre (No Contest) and pay the fine amount listed below, or you may refer to the Driver's Safety Course option listed below. Drivers under 17 who get tickets are required to appear in Court with their parents.

If you choose to plead Guilty or Nolo Contendre (No Contest), you may pay your fine in person at the JP Court Office designated on the ticket.

To determine your fine amount you must perform a Case Search. NOTE: It takes approximately 3 to 5 business days for your ticket to be processed into the system. If you do not see your ticket and it is past this time frame then please call the JP Court Office designated on the ticket.

If you have not taken a Driver's Safety Course in the last twelve months, you may wish to take the course to keep the offense off your record. You are not allowed to take a Driver's Safety Course for some offenses, including but not limited to speeding more than 24 miles per hour over the limit, passing a school bus, fleeing a police officer, and certain other offenses. If the Department of Public Safety refuses to accept the Driver's Safety Course because your record reflects you have had one within the last twelve months, a warrant may be issued for your arrest. You must receive permission from the Court to complete the course. The traffic offense will be dismissed if you take the course and present proof to the Court.

To apply for a Driver's Safety Course, you must do the following:

1. Call the Court in which your ticket was issued to determine the amount of the Course fee and then pay the fee using a
2. Money Order, Check, Visa, or Master Card.
3. Submit the payment, the ticket, driver’s license and proof of insurance to the Court in person or by mail. The insurance must have the phone number, name of your insurance company, effective dates and you must be listed as a driver to be considered valid.
4. The court also needs a copy of your valid Texas driver?s license.
5. Also include the signed and notarized Driver's Safety Course Request Affidavit.

The course must be state approved. YOU are responsible for making sure the course is completed and that the Court receives proof of took the course. If the Court has not received proof of a driver's safety course within the time prescribed by law, a warrant may be issued for your arrest and fees will be assessed.

In some circumstances, you may request deferred disposition from the Court. If you have a good driving record, and you are not currently on deferred disposition, you may make a request to the Court. Deferred Disposition means you will be placed on probation for a period of up to 180 days. If you successfully complete the probationary period without receiving a moving violation anywhere in the State of Texas, the original charge will be dismissed. You must also provide the Court with proof of insurance.

Deferred disposition is not an option if your ticket was for speeding 30 miles per hour or more over the limit, or your ticket resulted from a traffic accident.

If your expiration was less than 60 days, and you get the problem fixed (new license or registration) and present proof to the Court, the Judge will consider dismissal of the ticket with a $20 fee.

NOTE: The expired registration proof of renewal must include a 20-percent penalty paid to the Department of Motor Vehicles when the registration was renewed. If the penalty is not paid, the court cannot dismiss the citation. The inspection proof of correction must show that the vehicle passed the inspection.

The Court may allow a defendant to take defensive driving if the defendant would like to have a no seatbelt ticket dismissed.