ANSWERING THE CITATION

Offense Price List

(1) Review the blue form attached to the citation. This document contains information on how to resolve your citation.

(2) Wait 48 hours before contacting the court. This waiting period is necessary to ensure that the court has received the citation from the police department and that we have entered it into our system.

(3) Appear on or before the date indicated on your citation which can be found in the bottom right corner. You may make this appearance either in writing or in person. Telephone calls do not satisfy this requirement. If you fail to make your appearance as required, a warrant for your arrest will be issued, additional warrant fees will be added to your offense and for certain offenses an additional charge of “Violating Your Promise to Appear” will be added. This will be an additional $278.75 in fines and court costs.

(4) Enter a Plea. Only the person whose name appears on the citation (other than a licensed attorney) can enter a plea. Authorized please are:

(a) Not Guilty – When you enter this plea, you are stating to the court that you believe you are innocent of the charge and you wish to have your case placed on the pre-trial docket. You will have a jury trial scheduled unless you waive that right and request a trial before the judge.

(b) Guilty – Entering this plea means that you are admitting to the offense as charged. You will be required to pay the applicable fine plus all court costs.

(c) Nolo Contendre (No Contest) – This plea means that you are not contesting the offense. You are not admitting that you committed    the offense nor are you denying it. However, you understand that you will still be responsible for paying the applicable fine plus all court costs. A plea of no contest may not be used at a subsequent civil trial as evidence of guilt.

Make On-line Citation Payments

External Link:  https://www.municipalonlinepayments.com/commercetx/court/search

CITATION DISMISSAL

Can the Judge dismiss my ticket? No. The Judge does not have the authority to dismiss tickets. Any authority to dismiss a ticket is given to the judge either by statute or pursuant to a standing plea agreement from the City Attorney and under strict guidelines.

Dismissals allowed by statute are:

Insurance Tickets. You must provide a copy of a valid insurance card that was valid at the time the offense is alleged to have occurred to have your citation dismissed. Insurance will be verified with the issuing insurance company.

Fail to Present Drivers License Dismissals. You must present to the court a valid driver’s license issued prior to the date and time of the citation. All driver’s licenses will be verified with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Expired Drivers License (Tex Trans. Code 521.026) (1) You must renew your license within ten (10) working days of receiving the citation; (2) You must present the renewed license to the court on or before the appearance date provided at the bottom of your citation. (3) You must pay a $20.00 administrative fee at the time of your request for dismissal (failure to pay the fee forfeits your right to a dismissal).

Expired Registration Dismissal (Tex. Trans. Code 502.407). (1) You must get the vehicle registered within ten (10) working days of receiving the citation; (2) You must present the receipt of registration to the court; and (3) You must pay a $20.00 administrative fee at the time of your request for dismissal (failure to pay the fee forfeits your right to a dismissal). Note: The court cannot dismiss “No Registration” or “Improper Display of Registration” citations.

Expired Inspection Sticker (MVI) Dismissal (Tex Trans. Code 548.605). (1) The inspection sticker on the vehicle at the time of the citation cannot be expired for more than sixty (60) days; (2) You must get the vehicle inspected within ten (10) working days of the citation; (3) You must present the receipt showing proof of the vehicle inspection to the court for examination on or before the appearance date provided at the bottom of your citation (the court will not enter the parking lot to view your sticker); and (4) You must pay a $20.00 administrative fee at the time of the request for dismissal (failure to pay the fee forfeits your right to a dismissal). Note: The court cannot dismiss “No Inspection Sticker” or “Improper Display of Inspection Sticker”.

PARKING CITATIONS

Time for Payment – You must pay your parking citation on or before the 10th day after the citation was issued.

Responsibility – The registered owner of a vehicle is responsible for all parking violations committed using that vehicle regardless of who was operating the vehicle at the time.

If You Believe a Citation was Issued in Error – If you received a parking notice letter in error (i.e., you no longer own the car), please write to the Commerce Municipal Court, 1119 Alamo, Commerce, Texas 75428. Explain why the parking ticket (s) in question does not belong to you.

If you no longer own the vehicle, please provide enough information for us to contact the new owner. Normally, the transfer of sale document will be sufficient. You will continue to receive notices if additional tickets are received as long as the state shows the title of the vehicle to be in your name.

To correct registration records through the State Department of Transportation, call or write this agency at the following address:

Texas Department of Transportation Division of Vehicle Titles and Registration 40th Street and Jackson Avenue Austin, Texas 78779 – 0001 Phone: (512) 465-7611