The
Ennis Municipal Court is responsible for the adjudication of Class C
misdemeanors and other state and city ordinance violations punishable by fine
only. The Court conducts
hearings and
trials, collects fines and issues warrants of arrest and search.
Court
is held on the last Thursday of each month at 5:45 pm for Class C cases.
For code enforcement cases, court is held on the 14th day from
date the complaint was filed at 8:00 am. All cases are heard at 119 W. Brown
Ennis, TX. The law requires that you appear in
court on your
case. If you were issued a citation, you
have
ten days from, the date the citation was issued to pay your fine or set a court
date. If you have been released on bond, your appearance date is set on the
bond. If a complainant filed your
case, you will notified by mail of your court appearance.
Q: What are my rights?
A:
You have a right to
enter a plea of “guilty”, “nolo contendere”, or not guilty” for the
offense charged, the right to consult with an attorney and the right to a jury
or bench trial. If you plead “not guilty”, you will need to decide
whether to have an attorney represent you.
You may defend yourself, but no one else except a lawyer may represent
you.
Q: I
cannot pay the fine in full, is it possible to pay my citation in installments?
A: Yes, the Ennis Municipal Court allows you to set up a payment plan for outstanding citations. You may not be eligible for this option if you have previously defaulted on a payment plan. The Court Clerk will give you more detailed instructions on setting up a payment plan at the customer service window at the Ennis Municipal Court.
Q: How can I plead?
A: By a plea of
“guilty”, you admit that the act is prohibited by law, that you committed
the act charged and that you have no defense or excuse for your act.
A plea of “nolo contendere” (or “no contest”) means that you do
not contest the State’s charge against you.
While it is not an admission by you that you are guilty, you will most
certainly be found guilty. However,
a plea of “no contest” cannot be used against you in subsequent civil suit
for damages. A plea of “not
guilty” means that you are informing the court that you deny guilt or that you
have a good defense, and that the State must prove what is charged against you.
Q: How do I request a
plea hearing or Trial Sitting?
A: If you wish to talk to the judge, or plead “not guilty” and set a court date you must either
(1) appear in person within 10 days at the
court clerk’s office, or
(2) Mail a written request for each
offense, postmarked within 10 days of the offense.
Q:
What
if I am a juvenile?
A: Juveniles must appear
in person before the Judge, accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Juveniles do not have to take action on a citation within 10 days.
Notice of their court date and time will be mailed by the clerk to the
address shown on the citation.
Q: What are my options for Dismissal of certain
offenses?
A: No driver’s license
or No liability insurance violations may
be dismissed with proof that you had a valid driver’s license or insurance
policy at the time of the offense. Expired driver’s license, Vehicle
registration, or Vehicle inspection may he dismissed upon payment of a $20
dismissal fee with proof of renewal within 10 working days of the offense.
Deferred Adjudication is
available to dismiss most offenses if you have not used this option in Ennis for a similar
offense within the past 12 months. For
most offenses, you must pay the equivalent of the window fine amount and not
receive any similar citations in Ellis County or any other county during the 90
day deferral period. This option is
not available if you were speeding 25 miles and hour or more over the posted
speed limit. Some offenses may have
additional requirements.
A driving safety course
may be used to dismiss one moving traffic offense.
You must provide written notice to the court within 10 days of the date
of the citation. This option is not
available if you were speeding 25 miles and hour or more over the posted speed
limit. You must hold a valid Texas
Driver’s License or permit, liability insurance and pay a fee to the
Department of Public Safety for a certified copy of your driving record.
You will have 90 days to take the driving safety course and return
paperwork to the Court.
If
you are a CDL holder you do not qualify for the defensive driving course or the
deferred program.
Q: What if
a warrant on my citation has been issued?
A: You
may retain an attorney to represent you in this matter, or you may personally
appear at the Ennis Municipal Court during normal business hours and inquire
about the various options that would remove you from warrant status. If you come
in voluntarily, you will not be arrested at the Ennis Municipal Court on the
Ennis warrant.
The
most common options available to you for deposing of your warrant are:
·
Payment of fine in full.
·
Post a surety or cash escrow bond and request a new court date.
·
Appear in person and request to speak to the judge during the judge’s
hours.
·
Retain the services of a bail/bonding agency.
· Voluntary incarceration in Ennis City Jail.
For further information or additional questions please contact the Ennis Municipal Court at 972-875-4457.