How to contest a citation at the Dallas Municipal Court.
Written by OnMap.meAbout Dallas Municipal CourtUnofficialPublished 2 min readShort answer
Plead not guilty and request a pre-trial hearing within 21 days of the file date, online, by mail or in person. The pre-trial hearing is mandatory. Pre-trial and trial settings are in person, not virtual.
In detail
The steps from the request for a pre-trial hearing to the trial date.
Request within 21 days.
Plead not guilty and request a pre-trial hearing within 21 days of the file date. The request can be made online, by mail or in person at the court. Live chat, phone and email are not valid options.
Gather what is needed.
An acceptable form of identification and the Contact Information Form. A request by mail also needs the request itself, handwritten or typed. Social Security cards and selfies are not valid identification.
Wait for the reply by mail.
A request made online or by mail is a request only. The court responds by mail within 5 to 7 business days, or within 4 to 6 weeks if the citation was past due at the time of the request.
Attend the pre-trial hearing.
A person without an attorney is shown a video about the options and may discuss the citation with a city prosecutor. If the citation is not resolved, it is placed on the docket for trial, by jury or before the Judge.
If the date does not work.
A reset must be requested in person at the court or by mail with photo identification, at least one day before the hearing. A cash bond in the amount of the citation may be required.
Tip. A convenience fee applies to an online pre-trial request. A request by mail or in person avoids it.
Call the office if
- You have not received a reply by mail in the stated time
- You want to check the status or date of your citation
- You want to see which forms of identification the court accepts