Municipal courts are the judicial branch of city government. Additionally, municipal courts are considered state courts which are governed by the same rules of practice as are other state courts. Municipal courts hear fine-only Class C misdemeanor criminal cases, like traffic violations, with a maximum fine of $500.00 (excluding state court costs). No jail time may be imposed. They also hear cases involving violation of city ordinances, which may have fines up to $2,000 (excluding state court costs) for certain offenses.

You have several options to resolve a ticket. These options depend on many different factors that include the type and severity of the violation, your age, the location of the offense, among others. The first step in resolving a case is to enter a plea. After you enter a plea, you may be scheduled for a court date, or you may have the choice of disposing of the case without appearing in open court. 

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The Court Process

Entering a Plea

You must decide upon and enter a plea to the charge against you on or before the response date on your citation. If you signed a citation in front of an officer, you did not plead guilty, but only signed a promise to appear in court within 20 business days. 

Your decision on what plea to enter is the most important decision you will have to make. Whether you feel that you are guilty or not, we suggest that you read the following explanation before making your decision. There are 3 possible pleas to a complaint: Guilty, Nolo Contendere (No Contest) and Not Guilty.

Plea of Guilty

By a plea of guilty, you admit that you did the act charged, that the act is prohibited by law, and that you have no defense for your act. Before entering your plea of guilty, you should understand the following:

• The state has the burden of proving its case against you. The law does not require you to prove anything. You have the right to hear the state's evidence and to require it to prove its case against you.
• If you were involved in a crash at the time of the alleged offense, your plea of guilty could be used later in a civil suit for damages as an admission that you were at fault or were the party responsible for the crash.

Plea of Nolo Contendere (No Contest)

A plea of "nolo contendere" means you do not contest the state's charge against you. You may be found guilty upon a plea of "nolo contendere," but it is not an admission by you that you are guilty. And unlike a plea of guilty, a plea of "nolo contendere" cannot be used against you in a civil suit for damages.

Plea of Not Guilty

A plea of not guilty means that you are telling the court that you deny guilt in this case and that the state must prove what it has charged against you.

If you plead not guilty, you have the right to a trial by judge or jury. You will need to decide whether to employ a lawyer to represent you at trial. You may defend yourself, but only a licensed lawyer may appear on your behalf.

The Frisco Municipal Court is not a court of record. If you choose to stand for yourself, you must be prepared. All proceedings will be conducted according to the rules of criminal procedure and the rules of evidence. The court staff, bailiff, prosecuting attorney, or judge cannot act as your attorney and cannot give legal advice or legal help in the presentation of your case.

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Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Under our American system of justice, all persons are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. On a plea of not guilty, a trial is held, and the state must prove what it charges in the complaint, "beyond a reasonable doubt," before a guilty verdict can be reached.

The Trial

Under Texas law, you can be brought to trial only after a formal complaint is filed. The complaint is the charging document that alleges what you have done, and the fact that such action is unlawful. You can be tried only for what is alleged in the complaint. Trials are conducted under the Code of Criminal Procedure as adopted by the Texas legislature. These laws may be found in Chapter 45 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.

• You have the right to inspect the complaint before trial and have it read to you at the trial itself.
• You are entitled to hear all testimony introduced against you.
• You have a right to cross-examine any witness who testifies against you.
• You have the right to testify in your own behalf. You also have the right not to testify. If you choose not to testify, your refusal cannot be considered in deciding your innocence or guilt of the charge.
• You may call witnesses to testify on your behalf at the trial and have the right to have the court issue subpoenas to these witnesses to ensure their appearance at the trial.

Presenting the Case

As in all criminal trials, the State will present its case first by calling witnesses to testify against you. You will have the right to cross-examine each prosecution witness. In other words, you can ask the witness questions about their testimony. However, you cannot argue with the witness. Your cross-examination of the witness must be in the form of questions only. Do not try to tell your version of the incident at this time - you will have an opportunity to do so later if you testify.

After the state has presented its case, you may present your case. You have the right to call any witness who knows anything about the incident, but the witnesses can testify only about matters of which they have personal knowledge.

If you choose, you may testify on your own behalf. Since you are the defendant, you cannot be compelled to testify. It is your choice, you may do as you wish, and your silence cannot be used against you. The state also has the right to cross-examine all witnesses called by you. If you testify in your own behalf, the state may cross-examine.

After testimony is concluded by both sides, you can make a closing argument by telling the court why you feel that you are not guilty of the offense charged. But such a statement can only be based on the testimony heard during the trial. New or added testimony is not admissible in the closing argument.

The Verdict

The verdict will be based on the testimony and the facts presented during the trial. In making the determination, the judge or jury can only consider the testimony of the witnesses who testify under oath. If found not guilty, you will be acquitted of the charges. If you are found guilty, the judge will announce the penalty at that time.

Fines

The amount of fine assessed by the court is affected only by the facts and circumstances of the case. Mitigating circumstances may lower the fine, even if you are found guilty. On the other hand, aggravating circumstances may increase the fine. In no case may the fine exceed $200 for most traffic violations, $500 for certain penal code violations, and $200 to $2,000 for certain city ordinance violations. (These amounts do not include state court costs.) Please see Payment Options  for an explanation on how to pay your citation or the Fine Schedule for a list of common violations that include the fine and state court costs.

Court Costs

Court costs will be charged if you are found guilty and assessed a fine, regardless of the amount. Court costs in the municipal court are set by the state, not by the court. Court costs must also be charged even if the fine is suspended and final disposition of your case is dismissed under the Deferred Disposition procedure. If an arrest warrant is issued, a warrant fee of $50 will be added to the fine and state court costs.

When the court finds you guilty, you will be charged for court cost in addition to the fine amount assessed. The State legislature sets the court costs and not by the individual courts.