TRAFFIC CITATIONS FAQS
You have twelve (12) days from the date of the citation to make a plea to the charges. You must enter a plea on each violation of Not Guilty, Guilty, or No Contest. If you do not make a plea on each violation, a Warrant will be issued for your arrest.
What action may be taken if a defendant fails to respond within 12 days of getting a traffic ticket?
If a defendant violates his/her promise to appear in response to traffic citation, an additional charge of "Violate Promise to Appear" (VPTA) will be filed and a warrant shall be issued. The fine for a VPTA is $212.
Pleas of No Contest mean that you do not contest the charges filed against you, but result in a guilty finding by the Court and a fine.
You must plead Not Guilty in person or by mail. When you plead Not Guilty to a charge, you will be provided an appointment to see the City Prosecutor.
You must request an extension in person or by mail. If you do not pay the fine in full within 30 days of making a plea, a $25 Time Payment Fee will be added to each outstanding violation, as required by State Law.
Payments can be made on your tickets in some cases. You must request a Payment Agreement in person or by mail. You will be required to fill out a Payment Extension Application and you must provide the proof requested. If you are granted a Payout Agreement with the Court, and do not have the fine paid in full within 30 days of making a plea, a $25 Time Payment Fee will be added to each outstanding violation, as required by State Law.
Payment Plans and Extensions are administered by the court. You will need to contact the court at 936-633-0315 to determine your options.
Payments can be made on your tickets using a credit card on line or in person. To pay online click here.
You may qualify to take Defensive Driving for your citation. See the Defensive Driving section for more information. The Judge may grant deferred adjudication in some cases. See the Deferred Disposition section for more information.
No. Court employees (including the judge) are strictly prohibited by law from providing legal advice to anyone.
No. You can represent yourself. Municipal Courts are not required by law to appoint you a lawyer, but you may hire one yourself. No one other than a lawyer can represent you in court. This applies to parents of juveniles. If you are not an attorney you cannot represent your child in a trial.
Not necessarily. If you plead "guilty" or "no contest," the issue is immaterial. If you plead "not guilty," a complaint is generated. The contents of the complaint are relevant with regard to a trial.
No. A judge can only dismiss a citation if he is given the authority by statute or because of a standing agreement with the City Attorney's Office. Please see the "Compliance Dismissal" tab for more information.
Yes, but only after you enter a plea of "no contest" or "guilty". Upon a plea of "not guilty" the Judge is not allowed to hear any details of the case until the day of trial. This ensures fairness to both the defendant and the state. Also, all conversations with the Judge must be in the courtroom. The Judge is not allowed to discuss the case outside the courtroom and outside the presence of both parties. The judge cannot take phone calls.
If you are on probation in a court, other than the Lufkin Municipal Court, you should refer this question to your probation officer.
Generally, all moving violations will appear on your driving record. Some others such as Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility and No Driver's license will appear as well. If you want to keep an offense off of your record, you should request Defensive Driving or Deferred Disposition.
No. All requests for reset or continuance must be made in writing. The request must be received 72 hours prior to your court date and must also list a reason why you need to reset with any proof that you can provide. Filing a request is not an automatic reset. All resets must be approved by the judge.
If a defendant fails to appear in response to a summons to come to court an additional charge of "Failure to Appear" (FTA) will be filed and a warrant shall be issued. The fine for FTA is $250.
Any court clerk will be able to assist you and explain your options. You may speak to a clerk by calling 936-633-0315.
You and the defendant must appear in court on the assigned court date. At this time, you may request charges to be dismissed. The State, represented by the prosecutor, may proceed on the case even if you desire to dismiss the charges.
You can obtain this information from the court at 936-633-0315.
Contact the court at 936-633-0315.
You will need to appear at the court, 300 E. Shepard Ave, Lufkin, TX. The court clerk will then take the necessary steps to help correct this problem.
You will need to contact the local DPS office for further information or the person who sent you the letter.