Do you accept checks?

Yes. Checks must be made out to the Colleyville Municipal Court. Two-party checks are not acceptable. Returned checks will result in a $15 expense fee being assessed and the case may result in a warrant for arrest being issued if the fees are not cleared up in a timely manner. To obtain a new court date on a warrant or a missed court date, the only form of payment is cash. The court will not accept personal checks for the payment of warrants.

When is my court date?

You will need to appear at the court window prior to the due date listed on the citation to obtain a court hearing. Please allow one (1) business day to process the ticket before making your appearance.

I have a warrant. What do I do?

Appear at the municipal court window in the Colleyville Justice Center at 5201 Riverwalk Drive and pay the amount due on your case. You may call 817.503.1315 first to verify the amount due.

May someone else bring my payment to the court?

No. Only the defendant or their attorney may bring the payment to the court.

How much is my ticket?

Please see the schedule of fines section on the website to obtain a fine amount or call the court office at 817.503.1300. Please have your citation available.

To obtain an extension of payment on a citation an appearance is required on the court date and this request is made before the judge.

What are the court procedures?

The Colleyville/Keller Municipal Court is a people's court and it is legal for you to represent yourself. State law will only allow a licensed attorney to act on the behalf of someone else. A TELEPHONE CALL BY ANY PARTY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A COURT APPEARANCE.

JUDGE TRIAL OR JURY TRIAL COURT PROCEDURES

(Defendant wishes to plead "not guilty") The defendant must appear on his/her plea court date and enter the "not guilty" plea before the municipal court judge. At that time, the defendant needs to state if a judge bench trial is requested or a jury trial. The judge will issue the defendant a new court date. Judge trials are held on a separate court date as, at that time, the issuing officer is subpoenaed to testify. If a jury trial is requested, an additional court date is provided for any pre-trial matters to be discussed with the judge and prosecutor. The actual jury trial hearing date will be set at the pre-trial hearing.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS VIOLATIONS

A defendant can get this violation dismissed by bringing proof of the new address being corrected within 20 working days from the date of violation into the court office by the initial due date on the citation. The dismissal fee for this violation is $20. To obtain the correction on this violation, you will need to appear at the nearest Texas Department of Public Safety office to have your address changed on your driver's license, or you may pay the fine in full. Juveniles (16 years of age or younger) must appear before the judge on the plea court date.

DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS

The defendant can provide proof of the correction (receipt) and/or a photo of the correction to the court office for a dismissal. If the approval is granted, a $10 dismissal fee will apply. Without proof of repair, the defendant must pay the full amount of the fine, which can be obtained from the court.

FAILURE TO DISPLAY DRIVER'S LICENSE VIOLATIONS

A defendant can have this charge dismissed by bringing in his/her valid Texas driver’s license to the court office on or before the iniital due date on the citation. A copy of the driver's license will be taken and placed for dismissal. The dismissal fee for this violation is $10. Without presenting proof, you may pay the fine in full. Juveniles (anyone 16 years of age or younger) must appear before the judge on the plea court date.

EXPIRED VIOLATIONS

Expired Registration and , Driver’s License (expired less than 60 days)

The violations listed above can be dismissed if the violation is corrected within 20 working days from the date of the violation with a $20 dismissal fee. Please note on the violation of expired registration, your correction must show proof of the late fee being collected at the Department of Motor Vehicle office. The only forms that can be taken by the clerk's office are the following:

• Registration: Department of Public Safety Title Application Receipt
• Driver's License: Cardboard Renewal License or the actual Texas Driver’s License

WARRANTS VIOLATION

The defendant will need to call the court office to obtain information on the outstanding ticket.

INSURANCE-RELATED VIOLATIONS:

Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility

If you were issued a citation for Failure to Maintain Responsibility and you, in fact, were covered by an insurance policy at the time and date the citation was issued, you may present proof to the court to have your citation dismissed. Faxes are not accepted.

The proof must indicate the following items:

• Defendant's name
• The name and address of the insurer
• Insurance policy number
• Coverage dates
• Phone number of insurance agency

The court office can only take hard copy insurance proof. No court is not allowed to take electronic versions for insurance proof.

The statement of coverage must comply with the minimum amount(s) of liability insurance required by state law.

If the defendant is driving someone else's car, then a copy of the card is made and is noted on the copy for verification information.

A copy of the insurance presented is taken and the court clerk will call to verify the insurance is valid. If an insurance card presented is invalid the defendant will be mailed a subpoena to appear before the municipal court judge. No charge is collected on this violation, or you may pay the fine in full. Juveniles (16 years of age or younger) must appear before the judge on the plea court date. A SECOND OR SUBSEQUENT CONVICTION OF ANY OFFENSE UNDER THE TEXAS MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY ACT WILL RESULT IN THE SUSPENSION OF YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE AND MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION UNLESS YOU FILE AND MAINTAIN PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF CONVICTION. THE DEPARTMENT MAY WAIVE THE REQUIREMENT TO FILE PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IF YOU FILE SATISFACTORY EVIDENCE WITH THE DEPARTMENT SHOWING THAT, AT THE TIME THIS CITATION WAS ISSUED, THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED BY A LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY OR THAT YOU WERE OTHERWISE EXEMPT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. V.C.S. ART 6701h.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING

• Do not take the course before obtaining court approval.
• If you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL), you are not eligible to take a defensive driving course.
• If you are charged with a traffic offense written under the subtitle C, Texas Transportation Code, you may request the defensive driving class with the court clerk prior to your original court date or by appearing in court and requesting it from the judge. If your citation is past due, you will not be eligible for a driving safety course without making a court appearance before the judge. To request defensive driving, you must be able to provide a valid Texas Driver’s License, current liability insurance (papercopy is the only one the court can accept) and pay the state cost and a $10 administrative fee.

You are eligible to request this course if you:

• Have not requested and taken a driving safety course for a traffic offense within the past 12 months
• Are not currently taking the course for another traffic violation
• Have not committed the offense of speeding 25 MPH over the speed limit
• Have not committed one of the following offenses:
  • Fail to stop and render aid (accident)
  • Fleeing from a police officer
  • Speeding in a construction zone
  • Reckless driving
  • Passing or overtaking a school bus
  • A serious traffic violation under the Commercial Drivers Act, 15 MPH or more over the speed limit
  • Involvement in an accident
  • Improper or erratic lane changes, or
  • Following the vehicle ahead too closely

Prosecution of the traffic offense will be postponed for 90 days to allow you time to complete the course and return the signed certificate to the court office. You are required to attend a course that has been approved by the Texas Education Agency.

Locating the Driver's Safety Course

The court is not allowed to recommend a driving school. We can only refer you to the Internet or Yellow Pages of the telephone directory, under "driving instruction." Always confirm that the school is a Texas state-approved course for the dismissal of a traffic citation.

Failure to complete a driver's safety course

Should you fail to complete any of the requirements, the court will send you a show-cause hearing notice requiring you to return to talk to the judge and explain why you failed to show proof of completion. Your failure to be present at that hearing will result in a warrant for your arrest being issued.

DEFERRED DISPOSITION

An adult defendant wishing to request deferred disposition must appear at the court window on or before your original due date to fill out a deferred disposition application and pay the required cost and fees. Any application made for deferred disposition is a request and may only be approved by a Colleyville/Keller municipal judge.

If you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL) you are not eligible for deferred disposition. If you are younger than the age of 25, you will have to pay the deferred disposition amount and, as a condition of deferred disposition, you will be required to complete a defensive driving class within a 90 day period. The deferred disposition time period for a defendant younger than the age of 25 is 90 days.

The clerk can accept an application for any violation EXCEPT the following:

• Speeding – 25 MPH or more over the speed limit; speeding (school zone) – 25 MPH or more over the speed limit
• Failure to maintain responsibility, DUI-minor, or theft under $50.00
• Construction zone violation wherein construction workers were in danger due to the defendant’s acts
• Any second or subsequent violations of the following offenses:
• Public intoxication
  • Minor in possession – tobacco
  • Unlawfully consuming alcohol on premises
  • Consuming alcoholic beverage near school
  • Disorderly conduct – fighting
  • Making alcohol available to minor
  • Disorderly conduct – firearm in public
  • Alcohol in vehicle – Open Container Law
  • Disorderly conduct – indecent exposure
  • Minor in possession alcohol -minor
  • Assault
  • Consumption of alcohol – minor
    Vicious dog
  • Misrepresent age to obtain alcohol- minor
  • Attempt to purchase alcohol – minor
  • Illegal dumping
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • No current rabies vaccination

The determination of the deferred disposition period is based on the type of violation you are requesting deferred disposition on. The period can be 60 to 180 days.

WARRANTS

As stated on the citation, failure to obey the summons or satisfy a judgment will result in an ARREST WARRANT being issued. If these conditions are not satisfied, the Colleyville/Keller Municipal Court issues warrants promptly. Once a citation has gone into warrant status, additional fees will be added to the fine amount and court costs.

If a warrant is issued, you are subject to arrest, and information about you and your vehicle is entered into a statewide police database. Should you be stopped for any reason in any jurisdiction in the state of Texas, the law enforcement officer will be notified by the police dispatcher that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest. You will be taken to jail, and your vehicle will be impounded.

If your case has gone into warrant status, your options include:

Appear at the municipal court window in the Colleyville Justice Center at 5201 Riverwalk Drive and discuss the amount due on your case. You should call 817-503-1315 first to verify the amount due. The court will not accept personal checks for the payment of warrants. The court can accept money orders, cashier's checks, cash and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard or Discover and there is a 1.5% service fee).

The Colleyville/Keller Municipal Court does have a payment plan that accepts 30% down to start a payment plan and then equal payments for the next 6 months until the cases are paid off.

When you have posted a bond for the amount due, you can schedule a court appearance to see the judge about your case. When you see the judge, you can enter your plea. You can ask for a trial, or you can request to take defensive driving or to be put on probation.

The cities of Colleyville and Keller participate in the Failure to Appear Program authorized by Chapter 706 of the Texas Transportation Code through OmniBase. Please be aware, OmniBase maintains the central database for the Failure to Appear Program for the Texas Department of Public Safety and administers the program. When an outstanding warrant is sent to the OmniBase system, the violator will be unable to renew their driver’s license. If you have received a letter from the OmniBase system, contact the Colleyville/Keller Municipal Court at 817.503.1300, but be aware that your warrant is still active and you are subject to arrest until the warrant amount has been paid in full.