MUNICIPAL COURT

Telephone Calls Are Not Accepted as an Appearance Before the Court.

You Must Appear:

• In person on the appearance date given on your citation
• By mail, enter your appearance by completing the plea form on the back and returning the plea form and payment to the Court. When entering a plea of guilty and paying your citation by mail, send a copy of your citation.
• If you plea not guilty, a trial date will be set and you will be notified accordingly.

Persons Under 17 Years of Age:

• Must appear with a parent or legal guardian or proof of marriage
• Must appear before the Judge, no pleas by mail

PERSONS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE (ALCOHOL RELATED OFFENSES)

• Must appear before the Judge, no pleas by mail.
• If under 18 years of age, must appear with a parent or legal guardian.

Persons Charged With Tobacco Offenses:

• Must appear before the Judge, no please by mail.
• If under 17 years of age, must appear with a parent or legal guardian

FAILURE TO APPEAR WILL RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL CHARGE BEING FILED AGAINST YOU FOR VIOLATING YOUR PROMISE TO APPEAR WITH A FINE NOT TO EXCEED $200.00. ADDITIONAL STATE FEES WILL BE INCURRED.

Directions

• Review the information sheet that was given to you by the officer at the same time you received your citation. This sheet contains information on ticket prices, entering a plea and choosing Defensive Driving or Deferred Disposition.
• Wait 72 hours after receiving your citation. This will ensure that the court has received the citation and has the information entered into our computer system.
• Pay your ticket and request Defensive Driving or a 30 day payment plan before the court date at the bottom left of the ticket or appear before the court on that date and time.
• If you fail to make your appearance, an additional Violation of Written Promise to Appear ticket and warrants for your arrest will be issued. 
• Enter a plea. Only the person whose name appears on the citation (other than a licensed attorney) can enter a plea.

 You may plead either:

• Guilty: Entering this plea means that you are admitting to the offense as charged. You will be required to pay the applicable fine plus all court costs.
• No Contest (or Nolo Contendre): This plea means that you are “not contesting” the offense. You are not admitting that you committed the offense nor are you denying it either. However, you understand that you will still be responsible for paying the applicable fine plus all court costs.
• Not Guilty:When you enter this plea, you are stating to the court that you believe you are innocent of the charge and you wish to have your case placed on the trial docket. You must notify the court if you wish to have a jury trial or a trial before the judge.

Deferred Disposition is a method to have your citation dismissed upon the successful completion of a probationary period – usually 30 days depending upon the type of case. Even though you plead “guilty” or “no contest,” the court does not “find you guilty.” Instead, the court defers further proceedings and places you on probation for a period of time with conditions of probation. 

Generally the primary requirement of a deferred disposition is that you do not get another citation in the state of Texas while on probation; however, the court may impose additional requirements including but not limited to community service, tobacco, or alcohol classes. Deferred Disposition must be granted by the judge. 

To Be Eligible for Deferred Disposition 

• You must make the request for such either in writing or by appearing in person at Trinidad Municipal Court on the court date and time listed on the citation. 
• You must enter a plea of “guilty” or “no contest.” 
• You must pay the fine amount in full plus all probation fees within 20 days of being granted deferred disposition by the judge. 

Deferred Disposition Application Forms

CLICK HERE FOR PLEA FORM

You Are Not Eligible for Deferred Disposition

• If you have a commercial driver’s license
• Regardless of your type of license, you are accused of speeding 25 miles per hour or more than the posted speed limit or you are accused of speeding in a construction zone or passing a school bus while loading or unloading children. 

Additional Requirements if You Are Under 25 Years of Age

• You must complete a Driving Safety Course (Defensive Driving)

Once Your Probation Ends 

You will be given an affidavit at the time of payment for deferred disposition. This affidavit must be returned within 10 days after your deferral period is completed or the citation will go on your driving record. It may not be returned before your period of deferral is completed. If the court has all information before it to prove that you have successfully complied with all of the terms of the Order of Deferred Disposition, the court will dismiss the citation.

Explanation of Dismissible Citations

• Expired Registration: Proof of registration will be accepted up to 10 days after the date of the citation, unless the registration has been expired for more than sixty (60) days. The current registration sticker must be on the vehicle prior to requesting a dismissal. The dismissal fee will be $20.
• Expired Trailer Registration: Proof of registration will be accepted up to 10 days after the date of the citation, unless the registration has been expired for more than sixty (60) days. The current registration must be on the trailer and the trailer brought to Trinidad Municipal Court (City Hall) in order to request a dismissal. The dismissal fee will be $20.
• Fail to Provide Financial Responsibility (FMFR): If the insurance card was not in possession at the time of citation but vehicle was insured, a current insurance card may be presented to Trinidad Municipal Court within 10 days for verification. There will not be a dismissal fee if insurance is verified to be valid.
• Not Having Driver’s License in Possession: Proof of a current and valid Texas driver’s license may be presented to the court within 10 days of the citation. The dismissal fee will be $10.
• Unsafe or Improperly Equipped Vehicle: Vehicles with equipment violations that have been corrected may present the repaired vehicle to Trinidad Municipal Court (City Hall) within 10 days of the citation for dismissal consideration. If accepted, the dismissal fee will be $10.

Rules

All persons entering Trinidad Municipal Court are subject to the following rules:   

• Avoid bringing small children to court. If you must, please monitor their behavior so they remain quiet at all times. Parents may be asked to leave the courtroom if their child becomes noisy or unruly.
• Concealed handgun permits do not apply to a courthouse. 
• Disrupting the functions of the court and/or the clerk’s office may result in additional charges being filed.
• Friends or family may not be with you when you see the judge. However, parents / guardians of juveniles should be with them when seeing the judge. 
• Keep your hands in plain sight and not in your pockets or jacket. 
• No food, drink or gum chewing is allowed in the courtroom. 
• Silence all cell phones and charges. Any device sounding during court is subject to seizure and will not be returned until court is over. 
• Smoking is prohibited by law in all areas of city buildings. 
• The courthouse is a secured environment. All persons and any hand-carried items are subject to search. 
• The judge should be addressed as “Your Honor.”
• There is to be no talking while court is in session. 

It is inappropriate to enter the courtroom unless you are wearing at least a T-shirt, pants (including Bermuda shorts in summer months) and shoes. Trinidad Municipal Court reserves the right to refuse admittance in court to any person it deems is dressed inappropriately. The following is a list of prohibited clothing:

• Any attire which the court's staff or the judge deems to be inappropriate
• Halter tops
• Hats and sunglasses
• Short shorts (above the knee)
• Short skirts
• Sleeveless shirts
• Spaghetti strap shirts
• T-shirts that carry offensive slogans or pictures
• Tube tops

Appearance of Juvenile Defendant & Parents

If a defendant is younger than 17 years of age, the defendant’s parent, guardian or managing conservator MUST be present in taking of the defendant’s plea and all other proceedings relating to the case.

Failure of Juvenile to Pay Fines as Ordered by the Court

A justice or municipal court may not order the confinement of a child under the age of 17 for the failure to pay all or any part of a fine or cost imposed for the conviction of an offense punishable by fine only.  If a child fails to obey an order of a justice or municipal court under circumstances that would constitute contempt of court, the justice or municipal court, after providing notice and an opportunity to be heard, may refer the child to the appropriate juvenile court for delinquent conduct; retain jurisdiction of the case, hold the child in contempt, and order either or both of the following that the contemnor pay not to exceed $500.00; or that the Department of Public Safety suspend the juvenile’s driver’s license or, if the juvenile does not have a license or permit, to deny the issuance of a license or permit to the child until the child fully complies with the orders of the court.

Overview:

Taking a Driver’s Safety Course (Defensive Driving) is a method to keep a citation off of your driving record. Upon the timely completion of an approved driver’s safety course and the return of the Certificate of Completion and a current copy of your driving record (obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety) to the court, the court dismisses your citation. 

To Be Eligible for a Driver’s Safety Course 

• You must enter a plea of “guilty” or “no contest.”
• You must not have taken a course for ticket dismissal within the 12 months preceding the date of your citation.
• You must make the request for a Driver’s Safety Course either in writing or by appearing in person at Trinidad Municipal Court by the court date / time at the bottom right-hand corner of the citation.
• You must show proof of a current Texas Driver’s License.
• You must pay the court costs of $144.00 in full at the time you make the request. If your offense occurred in a school zone, you must pay an additional $25 court costs. There are no extensions or payment plans for this payment.
• You must show proof of valid automobile liability insurance with your name on the policy.

You are Not Eligible for a Driver’s Safety Course If

• You are accused of speeding 25 miles per hour or more than the posted speed limit 
• You have a commercial driver’s license or an out-of-state driver’s license
• Your violation occurred in a construction zone when workers were present 
• Your violation occurred where a school bus was loading or unloading children

After Determining Your Eligibility

Once you determine that you are eligible for a Driver’s Safety Course, you must:   

• Make a timely request to the court for a Driver’s Safety Course (before your court date)
• Pay the court costs plus all applicable fees in full at the time of your request. The court will then sign an order allowing you to complete Defensive Driving. You will have 90 days from the date of the court’s order to complete your course.
• Present satisfactory proof of all the above requirements (driver’s license and insurance)

• 30-day payment plans are offered without having to see the judge or come to court.  A plea form must be completed and returned to Trinidad Municipal Court along with a copy of your driver’s license.
• 30-day payment plans for warrants may be requested.  However, warrants will not be lifted until all charges have been paid in full.
• Payment plans for longer than 30 days must be approved by the judge. You must print and complete the plea form and return it to Trinidad Municipal Court along with a copy of your driver’s license. You may call 903-778-8026 if you need to schedule a court date.
• A copy of your driver’s license and a plea of “No Contest” is required when requesting a payment plan.
• If you have requested a payment plan be mailed to you, the original must be signed and returned to Trinidad Municipal Court once you receive it.  A copy will be provided for your records.
• Citations with payment plans must be paid for within 30 days or a $15.00 time payment fee will be added to each violation.  Warrants will be issued if the payment plan is more than 20 days late.
• Extensions for payment plans may only be granted by the judge.  To schedule a court date to see the judge, please call 903-778-8026.
• Alternative to payments (community service) – If you are assessed fines and court costs as a result of this citation and you are unable to pay, bring this to the attention of the judge.  

Trinidad Municipal Court

P.O. Box 345

Trinidad, TX 75163

903-778-8026 

municipalcourt@trinidadtexas.com 

It’s Always Best to Consult an Attorney

If you need legal assistance, are looking for legal information or forms, or wish to conduct legal research, the resources on TexasCourtHelp.gov can help guide you. However, please remember that the information provided here is not legal advice and should not replace speaking with a licensed attorney.

Lawyer Referral Services and Legal Aid Offices (linked on the left) can help you find an attorney who can assist with your case.

Court Self-Help Centers, the State Law Library, and Texas Law Help offer reliable legal information and research tools.

Additional resources—including forms, research guidance, and information on filing or preparing for court—can be found under the Civil, Criminal, Traffic, Resources, and Protective Order tabs on TexasCourtHelp.gov

These tools are here to support you, but consulting an attorney is the best way to ensure you understand your rights and options.