 | What are my options? | 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. |  |  | How much is it if I want to pay the fine? | 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. |  |  | What about Driver's Safety Course? | 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:
- Call the Court in which your ticket was issued to determine the amount of the Course fee and then pay the fee
using a
- Money Order, Check, Visa, or Master Card.
- 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.
- The court also needs a copy of your valid Texas driver?s license.
- 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. |  |  | How do I keep this off my record? | 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. |  |  | I got a ticket for an expired drivers license or expired license plates. Can it be dismissed? | 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. |  |  | What about no seat belt tickets? | The Court may allow a defendant to take defensive driving if the defendant would like to have a no seatbelt ticket dismissed. |  |
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