How to Handle Your Ticket

Option #1
Plead No Contest or Guilty and pay the fine

• In Person: You may appear at the Addison Municipal Court during business hours, Monday through Friday.
• By Mail:  Check the appropriate plea on the reverse side of your citation, and mail it to the Addison Municipal Court with a check or money order.  To avoid additional fees for late payment, the payment must be postmarked on or before the due date listed on the citation.
• By Phone or Online: Please see Payment Options for information on how to make your payment using our automated telephone attendant or online payment system.  Both options are available 24 hours every day.  Please note that when you make a voluntary payment by phone or online, you will forfeit any right to request a Driving Safety Course or Deferred Disposition.

Option #2
Plead Not Guilty and request a trial
If you wish to plead not guilty, you and/or your attorney must appear in person at the Addison Municipal Court on or before the response date listed on the citation. Court hearings cannot be scheduled by telephone.

• In Person - Appear in person to set a court date for a plea hearing. After you have entered a plea to the judge, a pre-trial hearing date will be set.
• By Mail - You may also enter a plea of not guilty by mail. To do so, you must write a letter to the Court and include the following documents with your letter:
  • Copy of Driver's License
  • Copy of the Citation
• Your plea by mail cannot be processed without these documents. Once received, the Court will set a pre-trial hearing date and notify you by mail.

PLEASE NOTE: If you plead not guilty, go to trial, and are found guilty, the Deferred Disposition and Driving Safety Course options are no longer available.

Option #3
Request the Driving Safety Course (DSC) or Motorcycle Operator Training Course in person or by mail.
You may be eligible to have the citation dismissed by taking a Driving Safety Course (or a Motorcycle Operator Training Course if you were operating a motorcycle at the time you received the citation.) To protect this right, you must appear in person or provide written notice to the Municipal Court on or before the response date listed on the citation.

Option #4
Request Deferred Disposition in person
You must appear during regular business hours on or before the response date on the front of your citation and set a court date to enter a plea and request this option from the judge.

Consequences of Ignoring a Citation
Failure to complete one of the four options listed within thirty (30) days from the date of the citation can immediately result in the following actions taken against the offender:

1. An arrest warrant may be issued, at which time the fine amount can automatically be assessed the maximum allowed by law PLUS court costs and fees.  If an arrest warrant is issued, the defendant will be subject to arrest at home, place of business, or wherever he/she may be found.
2. A request may be submitted by the Court to the Texas Department of Public Safety for the denial of driver license renewal if you have not appeared to answer the charges.

Inability to pay a fine is not an excuse for failure to respond. 

Special Instruction for Juveniles
Texas State Law requires that juveniles (age 10-16) must appear in person with a parent or legal guardian for a court hearing, regardless of the offense. For tobacco and/or alcohol offenses, any defendant under the age of 18 must appear with a parent or legal guardian. A court appearance is also required to request Driving Safety Course or Deferred Disposition.