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CITATION DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
DRIVING SAFETY COURSE
A defendant may be able to dismiss their moving violation by successfully completing a driving safety course. The defendant must make a request
to the court in person on or before the court date and meet the following requirements:
- Defendant must enter a plea of guilty or no contest
- Defendant must have a valid Texas non-commercial driver's license
- Defendant must have proof of financial responsibility in their name
- Defendant must have not taken a driving safety course within twelve months of the offense date
- Defendant must pay all applicable court costs on the request date, which is $103.00, $128.00 for school zone violations.
A defendant may not take a driving safety course for the following violations:
- Speeding violation for 25 miles or more over the posted speed limit
- Accident involving damage to a vehicle
- Violations that occurred in a construction and maintenance work zone
- Passing a school bus
- Duty to give information and render aid
DEFERRED DISPOSITION
A defendant may also be able to dismiss their violation by requesting deferred disposition. Deferred disposition is a thirty-day probation
in which the defendant must keep a clean record for that period of time. If the defendant does not receive a citation for the thirty-day period, the citation is dismissed and is not reported to any
agency. To be eligible for deferred disposition, a defendant must appear in person on their arraignment date and meet the following requirements:
- Defendant must enter a plea of guilty or no contest before the judge
- Defendant must request deferred disposition
- Defendant must not be on a deferred disposition with another case on the request date
- Defendant must pay a special expense fee that does not exceed the amount of the fine and court costs
NON-MOVING VIOLATIONS
If a defendant received a citation for no inspection sticker, no vehicle registration, expired driver's license or defective equipment, the defendant
must appear on their court date and present evidence that the situation was rectified. If the case is dismissed, the defendant may be required to pay a $10.00 administrative fee.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
If a defendant received a citation for no proof of financial responsibility, the defendant must appear on their court date with evidence that the
financial responsibility was valid at the time the citation was issued. The charge may be dismissed after verification.
CONTESTING A CHARGE
If a defendant wishes to contest a charge(s) they received, they must appear on their arraignment to enter a plea of not guilty. Once the plea is
entered, the judge will set the case for trial. A defendant has the option of requesting a judge trial or a jury trial.
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