Procedures for Processing Citations
You must appear in the Municipal Court on or before the 20th business day from the date of your citation.
Failure to meet your obligation, by not appearing, will result in a warrant being issued for your arrest. A telephone call, fax, or e-mail does not constitute an appearance. Allow three (3) business days before appearing in person. The Court will be unable to assist you in resolving this case until the citation is filed by the officer.
Juveniles-Special Instructions
Entering a Plea
Deferred Disposition (Probation)
Driver's Safety Course
Dismissals
Juveniles-Special Instructions
Persons 17 years of age or younger who have a citation for an alcohol-related offense must appear in person before the Southlake Municipal Court Judge with a parent or legal guardian (Sect. 106.11 TX ABC). Persons 16 years of age or younger who have any other citation must appear before the Southlake Municipal Court Judge with a parent or legal guardian (Art. 45.331 CCP).Entering a Plea
Note: For information on citations issued to Juveniles, see the paragraph above.
How to enter a plea of Guilty or No Contest and pay the fine:
(1) You must appear at the Municipal Court office between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) to enter a plea and pay your fine.
(2) If you wish to enter a plea of Guilty or No Contest through the mail, check next to the appropriate plea on the back of the citation, sign your name, and date the plea. Mail your plea and payment (DO NOT MAIL CASH) to the Southlake Municipal Court. The Court will accept a money order, personal check, or cashier's check payable to the City of
(3) Entering a plea of Guilty or No Contest and paying the fine on a moving violation will result in a conviction and will appear on your driving record.
Deferred Dispostion (Probation)
You may be eligible if:
(1) You have not received a violation in the State of Texas in the last 6 months;
(2) You have evidence of financial liability insurance with your name on the card; and
(3) Do not possess a Commercial Driver's License of any kind.
If a deferment is granted, the Judge will establish the terms of your Deferred Dispostion, which will include the payment of a fee and requirement that you not receive any similar citations for a period of up to 180 days. The Judge may also impose other conditions with which you must comply. If you successfully comply with all the terms and conditions of your probation, the conviction will not be reported on your driving and/or criminal history.
If you are eligible, you may request Deferred Dispostion by providing the following to the Court:
(1) Required Fee - determined by violation;
(2) A copy of your proof of financial liablity insurance with your name on the card;
(3) A written statement that you have not received a previous violation in the last 6 months and are not currently on Deferred Disposition within the State of Texas for any violation; and do not possess a Commercial Driver's License of any kind;
(4) Anyone 24 years of age or younger is required to take a Driver's Safety Course with his or her deferment; and
(5) If you would like to request Deferred Disposition through the mail you will also need to fill out the white request form in front of a notary public and have it notarized.
Driver's Safety Course
Conditions of Eligibility:
(1) You must have a valid Texas Driver's License and do not possess a Commercial Driver's License of any kind;
(2) You must have evidence of financial liability insurance which shows your name as an operator/driver;
(3) You have not taken a Driver's Safety Course within the last 12 months (calculated from the date of course completion to the date of your current citation);
(4) You have not been charged with one of the following offenses: Passing a School Bus (T.C. 545.066); Reckless Drivng (T.C. 545.401); Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police Officer (T.C. 545.421); Accident Involving Damage to Vechicle (T.C. 550.022); Failed to Give Information and Render Aid (T.C. 550.023); Serious Traffic Violation Arising from Driving of a Commercial Motor Vehicle (T.C. 552.003); or any moving violations in a construction zone where workers were present.
Should a Driver's Safety Course be granted, the prosecution of the traffic offense will be postponed for 90 days to allow you time to complete the couse and return to the Court to show proof of completion. You are required to attend a course that has been approved by the Texas Education Agency.
You may request the Driver's Safety Course by providing the following to the Court:
(1) Required Fee - $107.00 (non school zone) or $132.00 (in school zone);
(2) A copy of your proof of financial liablity insurance with your name on the card;
(3) A written statement that you have not requested and taken a Driver's Safety Course for a traffic offense within the last 12 months and that you are not currently taking a course for another traffic violation; and you do not possess a Commercial Driver's License of any kind; and
(4) If you would like to request the Driver's Safety Course through the mail you will also need to fill out the white request form in front of a notary public and have it notarized.
At the end of your 90 day period, you must give the Court a certified copy of your driving record from the Department of Public Safety and a certificate from the driving school showing proof of completion. If you do not, the Court will send you a notice requiring you to return to Court and explain why you failed to show proof of completion. If you have a good reason why you were unable to present your proof within 90 days, the Judge may, but is not required to, grant you an extension. Your failure to be present at that hearing may result in a warrant for your arrest.
Expired Driver's License, Expired Inspection Certificate, Expired Registration or Fail to Display Driver's License Only - If you have received a citation for Expired Texas Driver's License, Expired Texas State Inspection Certificate, or Expired Texas Registration (license plates) you may appear on or before the 20th business day from the date of your citation with proof that your violation was remedied within twenty days from the date of the violation and , upon payment of a $20.00 Administrative Fee, your citation will be presented to the Judge for dismissal. The fee for Fail to Display Driver's License is $10.00, not $20.00.
If you wish to take care of this by mail, please submit a clean copy of the document which demonstrates compliance for the violation. This may be a renewed Registration or Driver's License and/or a successful Emissions Report. You will also need to include a copy of your citation. Mail all paperwork in with your $10.00 or $20.00 check or money order, made payable to the
****** Motor Vehicle Inspections that have been expired for more than 60 days will not be dismissed******
In the case of Motor Vehicle Inspections which are more than 60 days expired, the full fine amount of $131.00 and a signed plea are due by the 20th business day.
Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility- If you have received a citation for this offense you may present proof of insurance in person or by mail on or before the 20th business day from the date of the citation. Your insurance must be valid at the time of the violation or the vehicle the defendant was driving must be insured by the owner at the time of the violation in order to be dismissed. If you wish to take care of this by mail, please make a clean copy of the Motor Vehicle Financial Liability Insurance and your citation and mail it to the Municipal Court.
A second subsequent conviction of No Motor Vehicle Financial Liability Insurance will result in the suspension of your driver's license and motor vehicle financial liability insurance with the Department of Public Safety for two (2) years from the date of the conviction. The Department may waive the requirement to file proof of financial liability insurance if you file satisfactory evidence with the Department showing that at the time this citation was issued the vehicle was in compliance with the Financial Liability Insurance Requirement of Section 601.051 of the Texas Transportation Code or that you were exempt from the requirement to provide financial liability insurance.
Forms of Payment
The Municipal Court accepts payments tendered by Visa and Mastercard credit or debit cards, personal check, Cashier's Check, money order, or cash. Checks should be made payable to "City of Southlake".Payments submitted in the mail should be remitted as either a personal check, money order, or Cashier's Check. Cash is not an acceptable form for mail payments.
City of Southlake
Municipal Court
1400 Main Street, Suite 210
Southlake, Texas 76092
(817) 748-8188
Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.