General Information Regarding Citations
Municipal Court Judge
The North Richland Hills Municipal Court Judge is available every Wednesday
from 9:00 am to 10:30 am and from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. You must stop at the
window for the clerk to pull your files prior to going to the courtroom.
You will not be allowed to see the Judge if you have a warrant outstanding. You
will be required to post a cash appearance bond prior to your appearance before
the Judge.
Municipal Court Prosecutor
The Prosecutor for the City of North Richland Hills is scheduled by
appointment. If you wish to discuss special circumstances with the prosecutor
you may contact the Municipal Court for available dates and times. If you
contact the Municipal Court after your 14 day grace period, you are still
subject to late fines and warrants for your arrest. No one will be scheduled to
see the Prosecutor with outstanding warrants. You will be required to post a
cash appearance bond if you have not entered a plea and your citation has a
warrant issued.
Plea and Payment
If you feel that you are guilty, or you do not wish to contest the charges
alleged against you, a standard fine for the offense may be paid in person or
mailed to: North Richland Hills Municipal Court, 6720 NE Loop 820, North
Richland Hills, Texas 76180. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday
through Friday. Contact the municipal court from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm by calling
817-427-6700 to determine your fine information. Payments for most citations
can be accepted in the form of cash, check, money order, or credit cards. We
accept the following credit cards: Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and American
Express. CHECKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED FOR PAYMENT OF CITATIONS IN WARRANT STATUS.
If violator chooses to mail remittance of fine, the violator's copy of the
citation should accompany payment for identification purposes. Violator is to
include a written Plea with the payment. The plea can be hand written, or a
copy can be printed from this web site at:
Click here for the plea form
Deferred Disposition
You may be eligible for deferred disposition on your citation, which may keep
the violation from being reported on your driving record to the Texas
Department of Public Safety. If you have questions, or to see if you are
eligible for deferred disposition, please contact the Municipal Court in person
by telephone at 817-427-6700, or in person by appearing at the Court office
located at 6720 NE Loop 820, North Richland Hills, TX 76180.
Defensive Driving Request
You may be eligible to take a Driver's Safety Course for certain traffic
charges which would require the citation to be dismissed, however, you will
lose that right if you do not appear at the Municipal Court before your 14th
consecutive day after the date on your citation.
Texas Law provides that a court shall defer proceedings and allow a person 90
days to present a course completion certificate. Other requirements are: (a)
You must have a valid Texas drivers license or permit; and (b) The Texas
Department of Public Safety records must indicate that you have not taken a
course which resulted in a citation being dismissed in the past one year; (c)
You must file an affidavit with the Court stating that you are not in the
process of taking a course nor have you completed a course that is not yet
reflected on your driving record and submit a certified copy of your driving
record; and (d) The offense charged in the citation is an offense under
Subtitle C of the Transportation Code, T.C. and is not for speeding 25 miles an
hour or more over the posted speed limit at the place where the alleged offense
occurred, is not passing a school bus, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting
to elude the police, failing to give notice or render aid after an accident, or
any violation committed in a construction zone with worker's present, and is
not a severe infraction of the law; (e) you must not have been driving a
Commercial Vehicle or possess a commercial driver's license. At the time of
your request you are required to pay a fee and court costs and show proof of
valid Texas Driver's License and Financial Responsibility.
Trial Request
If you feel that you are not guilty of the offense as charged, you must appear
before the Municipal Court Judge. If you wish to have a trial before the judge,
it is necessary that you request a court date in person, or in writing, from
the Municipal Court. You will be scheduled a date to return for your Municipal
Court Trial. Verbal telephone requests will not be accepted. All requests
must be made in person or in writing.
Extensions to Pay or Continuances
Continuances or extensions CANNOT be authorized by a clerk. You must see the
Judge in person prior to the due date or scheduled court date to request
extensions or continuances. You may be required to post a bond for continuances
or extensions on court dates.
Texas Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Act Notification
A second or subsequent conviction of an offense under the Texas Motor Vehicles
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 (2) years
from 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.
If you have received a citation for failure to maintain financial
responsibility, you may appear at the Municipal Court office with proof that
you were insured on the date of the offense, (before your due date) and your
citation will be presented to the judge for dismissal after proof has been
verified. WE DO VERIFY ALL INFORMATION SUBMITTED AS PROOF OF FINANCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
Texas Driver Responsibility Program Notification STATE
SURCHARGES ON CITATIONS: TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, SECTION 708.105 states "A
conviction of an offense under a traffic law of this state or political
subdivision of the state may result in the assessment of your driver's license
of a surcharge under the DRIVER'S RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM."
Failure to Appear
If you Fail to Appear in Court as provided by law for the prosecution of an
offense, you may be denied a driver's license or denied renewal of your
driver's license.
