1.

What do I do after receiving a citation (ticket)?

Please allow the Court 5 days to receive the ticket from the police department. Either you or your attorney must contact the Cuero Municipal Court in person or by mail by your appearance date which is located on the bottom of your citation.

2.

If I just want to pay the fine, what do I do?

At the time that you received your citation, you were given a copy and a courtesy letter
That has a list of fines. Not ALL of them are listed, but it has our mailing address, physical address and phone number. Payments can be mailed to Cuero Municipal Court, P.O. Box 660, Cuero, TX 77954 or paid in person at 212 E Main St., Cuero, TX 77954. Our office number is 361-275-8559. Some citations can be paid online.
You have the option of pleading Guilty or Nolo Contendere (No Contest) and paying the fine on
or before your appearance date. A payment may be made: (a) in person; (b) via mail by mailing the fine payment, along with the bottom portion of your courtesy letter along with your ticket number.

3.

How may I pay the fine?

You may pay your fine by cash, credit card (in person), money order or cashier's check.
Any time you send information to the Court you need to provide full information, including citation number, full name, address and telephone number, in order to ensure your case is properly credited. Please be aware that the Court does not accept personal checks. Some citations may be paid online.

4.

What if I want to enter a plea of Not Guilty & request a trial before the Court?

You or your attorney must come to 212 E Main St. to enter a plea of Not Guilty. You will be placed on the Docket once we have a court date. You will be notified by mail of your court date. Please be sure that we have your current mailing address. We will not reschedule a court date for not notifying the court of the correct address.

5.

JUVENILES (under 17 years of age) MUST APPEAR IN COURT.

DO not MAIL PAYMENT.

6.

Will a Pre-Trial, Bench Trial or Jury Trial cost me more?

No. The right to a Pre-Trial, Bench Trial and Jury Trial is a Constitutional right and it should not be abused. If you are found not guilty by the prosecutor or judge, there will be not cost. If you are found guilty, the amount of your fine and court costs will have to be paid. If the jury finds you guilty, there will be the jury fee of $3 assessed in addition to the other State costs and the fine. The fine that is determined by the jury or Judge must be within the limits prescribed by law (the Judge will advise the jury of the limits).

7.

Do I need a lawyer?

It is your decision whether or not to retain an attorney. It is not required that you have a lawyer. The State of Texas (City of Cuero) will be represented by a Prosecutor who is an attorney. In a bench trial (Judge alone), the Judge is trained to know what evidence can and what evidence cannot be considered in deciding the case; therefore, the Court permits the defendant reasonable latitude to present the case.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MUNICIPAL COURT IS PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM PROVIDING A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY TO A DEFENDANT.

8.

Do I have a right to an appeal?

Yes. You have a statutory right to appeal from the Judge's or Jury's verdict. You must file your appeal and post a bond no later than the 10th day after the date on which the judgment was made by the Judge or Jury. You may want to consider consulting an attorney if you want to appeal. When you submit your appeal, you must provide the Court with a cash bond of twice the fine amount.

9.

Can I be arrested if my citation goes to warrant?

Yes. You may be arrested at home, work, or in your vehicle, which may be impounded at the time of arrest. 

10.

Can I take DSC to have my ticket dismissed?

Not everyone can take DSC to have their ticket dismissed. There are restrictions as to DSC eligibility such as: you must request DSC by your appearance date; have a valid Texas driver's license; have valid insurance; not have taken DSC within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense to have a ticket dismissed; and your violation must be a moving violation not exempt by law. Texas law prohibits DSC if the violation is speeding 25 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit, passing a school bus, or speeding in a construction or maintenance work zone.

11.

Can I walk in & see the Judge anytime?

No. You must appear in person on the court date given to you to see the Judge.

12. Is there another option other than taking DSC to keep it off my driving record?

You may request Deferred Disposition to prevent DPS from accessing points to your driving record. Deferred Disposition is commonly referred to as "probation." Basically it means that you will pay the fines and fees accessed by the Judge and he will agree to "defer" his finding of guilt for a period of up to 180 days. With this request, you will enter into an agreement with the Court that you will not receive any tickets in your deferral period. If you completed the deferral period without incident, the violation will not affect your driving record. If you get another ticket or do not pay the fees accessed by the Judge, you will have a Show Cause hearing to determine the result of your case.

13.

I have a commercial driver's license, can I take a DS or get deferred disposition?

No. You cannot take DSC or get deferred disposition to have your ticket dismissed if you have a Commercial Driver's License. Even if you were driving your personal vehicle.