Depending on how you choose to plea, there are various options for disposition with the Municipal Court.

• If you feel that you are guilty, a standard fine for the offense may be paid in person, online or mailed to:

  Haltom City Municipal Court
  5024 Broadway Ave.
  Haltom City, TX 76117

  Pay Fine Online

  In order to find out the standard fine for your violation(s), you may call the court at 817-222-7773. Please wait 2-3 business days before calling to allow time for processing of the citation. The court is open Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

  Payments are accepted in the form of cash, check, money order, Mastercard, Visa, or Discover. If you choose to mail remittance of the fine, you must complete the Appearance, Plea and Waiver section on the bottom of the citation and mail it with the payment. If you have lost your citation, you may complete a Plea Form and mail it with your payment. This will result in a conviction on your driving record. If you would like to request Deferred Disposition or Driver's Safety Course to keep it off your record, please read the information contained in those links and DO NOT PAY ONLINE.

  Plea Form Deferred Disposition Driver's Safety Course

• If you feel that you are not guilty of the offense as charged, you must appear before the Municipal Court Judge. In order to appear and make your plea of not guilty, you must make a court date in advance either in person or in writing. Please include a corrected address if necessary. The clerk will mail you a form (the court date will be on the form) to complete and mail back to the court. Please refer to Your Rights in Municipal Court for more information on court appearances.Verbal phone requests for court dates will not be accepted. All requests must be made in person or in writing.

You are required to either pay the fine, hire an attorney, request a Drivers Safety Course, request Deferred Disposition, or request a court date prior to the due date as shown on the citation (21 business days for date of issuance). Failure to do so or failure to appear once a court date is set will result in a warrant being issued for your arrest and an additional fine being levied for failure to appear.

You are afforded certain rights when appearing before the Haltom City Municipal Court.

• Fines

  The amount of fine the court assesses is determined only by the facts and circumstances of the case. Mitigating circumstances may lower the fine, even if you are guilty. On the other hand, aggravating circumstances may increase the fine.

  The maximum fine for most Municipal Court traffic violations is $200; for Municipal Court penal violation: $500; for city ordinance violations relating the health, safety, fire and zoning: $2,000; and for other city ordinance violations: $500.

• Appeal

  If you are found guilty, and are not satisfied with the judgment of the court, you have the right to appeal your case. Defendants in courts of record should refer to Section 30.00014 of the Government Code on the process of appealing.

• New Trial

  If you are found guilty, you may make an oral or written motion to the court for a new trial. The motion must be made within one day after a judgment of guilt has been rendered against you. The judge may grant a new trial if the judge is persuaded that justice has not been done in the trial of your case. Only one new trial may be granted for each offense.

• Costs

  In addition to a fine, court costs mandated by state law will be charged. The costs are different depending on the offense. You need to check with the court for the amount that will be assessed to the violation for which you are charged. If you request a trial, you may also have to pay the costs of overtime paid to a peace officer spent testifying in the trial. If you request a jury trial, an additional $3.00 jury fee is assessed. If a warrant was served or processed by a peace officer, an additional $50 fee is also assessed. Court costs are assessed if you are found guilty at trial, if you plead guilty or nolo contendere, if your case is deferred for a driving safety course, or if your case is deferred and you are placed on deferred disposition. If you are found not guilty, court costs cannot be assessed.

• Judgement/Verdict

  If the case is tried by the judge, the judge's decision is called a judgment. If the case is tried by a jury, the jury's decision is called a verdict. In determining the defendant's guilt or innocence, the judge or jury may consider only the testimony of witnesses and any evidence admitted during the trial. If you are found guilty by either the judge or the jury, the penalty will be announced at that time. Unless you plan to appeal your case, you should be prepared to pay the fine at this time.

• Presenting a Case

  As in all criminal trials, The State will present its case first by calling witnesses to testify against you. After prosecution witnesses have finished testifying, you have the right to cross-examine. In other words, you may ask the witnesses questions about their testimony or any other facts relevant to the case. You may not, however, argue with the witness. Your cross-examination of the witness must be in the form of questions only. You may not tell your version of the incident at this time—you will have an opportunity to do so later in the trial. After the prosecution has presented its case, you may present your case. You have the right to call any witness who knows anything about the incident. The State has the right to cross-examine any witness that you call. If you so desire, you may testify in your own behalf, but as a defendant, you may not be compelled to testify. It is your choice, and your silence cannot be used against you. If you testify, The State has the right to cross-examine you. After all testimony is concluded, both sides can make a closing argument. This is your opportunity to tell the court why you think that you are not guilty of the offense charged. The State has the right to present the first and last arguments. The closing argument may be bases only on the testimony presented during the trial.

• Continuances

  If you need a continuance for your court appearance, you must put the request in writing and submit it to the court with your reasons at least one business day prior to the scheduled court appearance before the judge. The judge will make a decision whether or not to grant or not grant the continuance. You may request a continuance for the following reasons:

  • A religious holy day where the tenets of your religious organization prohibit members from participating in secular activities such as court proceedings (you must file an affidavit with the court stating this information); or...
  • That you feel it is necessary for justice in your case.
• Trial

  A trial in municipal court is a fair, impartial and public trial as in any other court. Under Texas law, you may be brought to trial only after a sworn complaint is filed against you. A complaint is a document that alleges the act you are supposed to have committed and that the act is unlawful. You may be tried only for what is alleged in the complaint. You have the following rights in court:

  • The right to have notice of the complaint not later than the day before the trial.
  • The right to inspect the complaint before trial and have it read to you at trial;
  • The right to have your case tried before a jury;
  • The right to hear all testimony introduced against you;
  • The right to cross-examine witnesses who testify against you;
  • The right to testify in your behalf;
  • The right to not testify, if you so desire. If you choose not to testify, your refusal to do so may not be held against you in determining you innocence or guilt; and;
  • You may call witnesses to testify in your behalf at he trial, and have the court issue a subpoena to any witnesses to ensure their appearance at the trial.

  If you choose to have the case tried before a jury, you have the right to question jurors about their qualifications to hear your case. If you think that a juror will not be fair, impartial or unbiased, you may ask the judge to excuse the juror. The judge will decide whether or not to grant your request. In each jury trial, you are also permitted to strike three members of the jury panel for any reason you choose, except an illegal reason (such as a strike based solely upon a person’s race or gender).

• Appearance

  If you were issued a citation, your appearance date is noted on the citation (21 business days from the date of the citation). If you have been released on bond, your appearance date is set on the bond. If you request a continuance (read the specific section on continuances), the court will give you a new appearance date if it is granted. You or your attorney may appear in person in open court, by mail, or you may deliver your plea in person to the court. (Juveniles have a separate set of rules for their appearance. Please see Options for Disposition.

  If you wish to contest your case and see the Prosecutor or you would like to appear before the Haltom City Municipal Court Judge you must appear in person to request a court date. Once it has gone to warrant, you must post a cash bond in order to secure a court date. Once you are before the Judge, if you waive your right to a jury trial and plead guilty or no contest, a fine will be assessed. You may request deferred disposition, defensive driving, or community service if you are found to be indigent. All fines are due that day.

  Before pleading guilty or no contest you will want to read the section on pleas below. Some things can be requested at the counter without having to go before the Judge. Please see Options for Disposition for specific information. The Judge legally cannot listen to facts of a case if you plead not guilty. This would be considered ex-parte communication. The Prosecutor is present at our court dockets in order to speak with you about your case(s). If you come to an agreement with the Prosecutor, the Judge will either grant or deny the agreement. If you do not come to an agreement, the court will schedule you for a Jury Trial unless you waive that right. If you waive that right, you will be scheduled for a Bench Trial, both of which are discussed below. When you make your appearance and plea of not guilty by mail, the court must receive your plea before your scheduled appearance date noted on the citation. . The court will mail you back a court notice that you must complete and mail back to the court. Please make sure that you give the court a complete mailing address and phone number.

  The court is not responsible for lost mail.

• Fees

  Under our America system of justice, all persons are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. On a plea of not guilty, a trial is held. As in all criminal trials, the State must prove the guilt of a defendant "beyond a reasonable doubt” of the offence charged in the complaint before the defendant can be found guilty by a judge or jury. Your decision concerning which plea to enter is very important. You should read the following explanation of all three types of pleas and think carefully before making your decision. If you plead guilty or no contest, you should be prepared to pay the fine.

  Plea of Guilty –By a plea of guilty, you admit that the act is prohibited by law and that you committed the act charged. Before entering your plea of guilty, however, you should understand the following: (1) The State has the burden of proving that you violated the law. The law does not require that you prove you did not violate the law. (2) You have the right to hear the State’s evidence and to require the State to prove you violated the law; and (3) A plea of guilty may be used against you later in a civil suit if there was a traffic accident (another party can say you were responsible for the accident because you pled guilty to the traffic charge).

  Plea of Nolo Contendere –A plea of nolo contendere means that you do not contest the State’s charge against you. You will almost certainly be found guilty unless you are eligible and successfully complete a driving safety course and/or court ordered probation. Also, a plea of nolo contendere may not be used against you in a civil suit. Plea of Not Guilty –A plea of not guilty means that you deny guilt, and that the State must prove the charge that it filed against you. If you plead not guilty, you need to decide whether to hire an attorney to represent you. If you represent yourself, the section entitled “The Trial” may help you understand your rights and the trial procedure.

Deferred disposition is not a right, but rather a discretionary decision made by the Judge of the court. If deferred disposition is granted, it lasts a period of 90 days from the date of your payment. You cannot receive another moving violation within the State of Texas during the 90 day period. If deferred disposition is successfully completed, the violation will not be reported on your driving record.

You must follow the instructions exactly as outlined below in order to receive Deferred Disposition

• You cannot receive deferred disposition by mail/fax if you were charged with any of the violations listed below. You must appear in person before the Judge to request deferred for these violations:

  • Speeding in excess of 25 mph over the posted speed limit.
  • Speeding in a school zone 15 mph over the posted speed limit
  • Any violation that occurred in a construction zone
  • Assault – family violence
  • Failure to stop for school bus
  • Any violation involving an accident resulting in damage to a vehicle, striking a fixture, landscape, or unattended vehicle.
  • No driver's license
  • No insurance

• You cannot receive deferred disposition if you had a Commercial Driver’s License on the date of the violation.

• If you are under the age of 25 at this time, you must appear in person to request deferred disposition. State law requires different procedures in such a case.
• You must fax/mail the request with payment on or before your appearance date. Any requests received after that date will be denied and set for a court date before the Judge.
• The completed Motion for Deferred Disposition form must be enclosed with a check, money order, or a credit card payment form for the full amount due prior to the due date on your citation (21 business days). Mail the full payment, a completed deferred disposition form for each offense, and if paying by credit card, a completed credit card payment form to (if paying credit card you may fax both forms):

  Haltom City Municipal Court
  5024 Broadway Ave.
  Haltom City, TX 76117

• Make sure you include your name, complete address, and citation number. You must sign the Motion for Deferred Form and circle a plea of Nolo Contendre or Guilty. A separate form must be completed for each violation.

  You must contact the Municipal Court to find out your fine (bond amount). You must add $25 to the fine(bond amount) that you are given for each violation that you are requesting deferred disposition on.

Dismissal of a citation must be approved by a representative of the Haltom City Municipal Court.

The following violations can be dismissed:

1. Expired Registration - If you received a ticket for this, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof that you corrected the violation within 20 working days from the date of the ticket. You must present the proof to the court within 21 working days of the date of the ticket and pay a $20 administrative fee. The proof MUST show that you paid the penalty fee upon renewing the registration.

2. Expired Driver License - If you received a ticket for this, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof that you corrected the violation within 20 working days from the date of the ticket. You must present proof to the court within 21 working days of the ticket and pay a $20 administrative fee.

3. Expired Inspection - If you received a ticket for this and the inspection has been expired for 12 months or less, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof that you corrected the violation within 20 working days from the date of the ticket. You must present the proof to the court within 21 working days of the date of the ticket and pay a $20 administration fee. If the inspection has been expired for more than 12 months the fine must be paid in full.

4. Failure to Change Address or Name Within 30 Days - If you received a ticket for this, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof to the court that you corrected the violation within 20 working days from the date of the violation. You must present the proof to the court within 21 working days of the ticket and pay a $20 administrative fee.

5. Driver License Restriction - If you received a ticket for this, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof to the court that DPS has removed the restriction or endorsement from your license within 20 working days of the date of the ticket. You must present the proof to the court within 21 working days of the ticket and pay a $10 dismissal fee.

6. No Insurance (FMFR) - If you receive a ticket for no insurance, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof to the court that you did in fact have valid insurance on the day and time of the ticket. You must present proof to the court within 21 working days of the ticket. The court must call and verify the insurance with the insurance company. If the insurance company verifies the insurance, the violation will be dismissed with no charge.

7. Expired Disabled Parking Placard - If you received a ticket for this and the placard has been expired 12 months or less, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof that you corrected the violation within 20 working days from the date of the ticket. You must present the proof to the court within 21 working days of the date of the ticket and pay a $20 administrative fee. If the placard has been expired more than 60 days, you must pay the fine in full.

Proof of the above violations may be submitted by mail or fax with a motion to dismiss. If faxed, you must fax proof, the motion to dismiss, and a credit card payment form for the correct dismissal fee. If mailed, you must include the proof, motion, and the correct dismissal fee to Municipal Court, 5024 Broadway, Ave., Haltom City, TX 76117. The fee MUST be mailed or faxed with the proof of correction and motion to dismiss or the violation will not be dismissed. The court is not responsible for lost mail. If you would like a receipt for proof of dismissal on any of the above violations processed thru the mail, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope with your payment and proof.

Failure to display driver’s license: If you receive a ticket for failing to display your driver’s license, you can get your violation dismissed by presenting proof to the court that you did in fact have a valid driver’s license on the day of the ticket. You must present the proof to the court IN PERSON within 21 working days of the ticket and pay a $10 dismissal fee.

The following violations may also be applicable for dismissal, but you must appear in person within 20 business days with proof of correction of the violation. Each violation listed below will have a $10 dismissal fee that must be paid upon verification of correction.

• Equipment Violation and the vehicle was not a commercial motor vehicle
• Operate vehicle without license plate or with only one OR with current registration insignia not attached
• Altered/unclear/obscured license plate

A plea form can be submitted in person or mailed to:

Haltom City Municipal Court
5024 Broadway Ave.
Haltom City, TX  76117

Online payments of court fines can be paid by clicking the "I Accept" button at the bottom of this page. Before paying your fine, please read below so you fully understand the process and consequences.

There is a 3.95% fee applied to payments made online.

Please be advised that voluntary online payment will result in a conviction and will be reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety which may result in points on your driving record or a surcharge.

By paying online, I understand that I am pleading guilty to the offense and am waiving my right to:

• Plead "not guilty" and request a trial before a judge or jury
• Hire an attorney
• Subpoena witnesses
• Transcription
• Request a driving safety course or deferred disposition for possible dismissal of my violation.

DO NOT make a payment on-line if the following apply to you:

• You want to request a driving safety course or deferred disposition.
• You were under the age of 17 at the time of receiving the citation and you have not appeared in open court before the Judge. Note: certain violations received as a juvenile will not allow you to pay online even if you have a judgment.

Important Information When Paying For An Active Warrant Online

You may pay for an active warrant of arrest using this online payment system; however, you are still subject to arrest until the Judge has accepted your payment as a plea of guilty and the case has been processed. The payment must pay the warrant amount in full. This system will not allow partial payments unless the case is set on a payment plan. Payments will be processed within 2 business days. Please note that payments might be delayed due to City holidays.

The City of Haltom City makes no guarantees, promises, or warranties regarding the accuracy of information provided in this site. There is no guarantee that this online payment service will show all of your unpaid tickets.

• Partial payments will not be allowed unless you are on a current payment plan
• Please print a receipt for your records as proof of payment
• By paying online, I hereby knowingly and voluntarily waive all my rights to a trial

By clicking the "I Accept" link below you agree to accept the above stipulations.

There is a 3.95% fee applied to payments made online.