Dallas Municipal Court Procedures

From the Law Office of Alison Grinter in Dallas, Texas

Dallas Municipal Court – 106 S. Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201 (Click for a map) –

Dallas Municipal Court requires that attorneys set all tickets for trial, therefore, representation in the Dallas Municipal Court includes a full trial by jury. Even if you do not wish to go forward with a full trial, I recommend that you show up for your trial setting because it is more likely than not (around 60% or so) that your ticket will be dismissed. Show up at the appropriate time (usually 8:30) and be present for the first roll call. The judge will then recess the court for one hour to allow the prosecutors to gather their witnesses. An hour later, the court will reconvene and if the officer who wrote your ticket is not there, your citation will be dismissed.

Otherwise, or if you choose not to show up, I will enter a plea of "no contest" on your behalf in order to secure a Deferred Adjudication judgment. This will allow you to pay a fine and, assuming that you do not receive another ticket in the jurisdiction within 180 days, the citation will be dismissed and will not go on your record. In some cases, I can also secure a plea for Driver Safety Course if you inform me ahead of time that this is your first choice.

The Dallas Municipal Court reports citations that have been in warrant status for over 80 days to the DPS OMNI System. The court charges a $30 fee to have a listing removed from the OMNI system, but payment can be made and the listing removed as soon as the warrant is lifted. You will not have to wait until the court date (aproximately 6-8 months from the initial appearance) to have the OMNI listing removed and your license cleared for renewal.

Discuss this article with the Law Office of Alison Grinter