Welcome to the City of La Feria Municipal Court web page. We hope that you find this site informational regarding court procedure so that you may determine the best course of action regarding your violation. The Municipal Court strives to serve our internal and external communities with integrity, professionalism and the highest level of customer service while providing a variety of services.

The Municipal Court’s primary function is to process all Class C Criminal charges filed by the Police Department and Code Enforcement Officers alleged to have occurred within the city limits of the City of La Feria. These include charges filed under the Texas Transportation Code, Penal Code, Alcoholic Beverage Code, Health and Safety Code, Education Code and the City of La Feria Code of Ordinances.

All Court hearings (other than jury trials) are being conducted virtually using the Zoom application.

The City of La Feria Municipal Court will continue remote court proceedings for all hearings. Cases will be held as currently scheduled using the Zoom platform. Information with instructions about the remote proceedings and the date of the hearing will be emailed to each defendant a week prior to their court date. If you have an upcoming court hearing and you have not provided the court with your email address, please make sure to provide the court with your email address as soon as possible.

The remote appearance is not optional and neglecting to appear will have the same consequences as not appearing at an in-person proceeding. Alternatively, options for handling a citation prior to a court date, can be found here, on the court’s website.

If you do not have access to technology that allows you to appear remotely, please contact the Court prior to your scheduled court date. The phone number to call is (956) 797-2261.

All jury trial cases are postponed and will be reset at a later date. Notifications of the new dates are forthcoming.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Municipal Court will perform its job competently, efficiently, and fairly in order to merit public confidence. The Municipal Court will rely on Public confidence in order to enforce its orders. Municipal Court has a duty to create and maintain such public confidence in an order that persons can rely on the protection of the rights that all citizens have under the constitution of the United States. It has and will always be the intention of the Municipal Court to treat all citizens that come before the Court with respect, dignity and courtesy without regard to their race, color and or religion.

Standing Orders of the Court

JUDGES OF THE COURT

William L. Pope – Presiding Judge

Arturo Salas – Associate Judge

COURT ADMINISTRATION

Cynthia A. Izaguirre – Court Clerk

For questions regarding Municipal Court, Contact:

Court@cityoflaferia.com

COURT SESSIONS/HOURS

Municipal Court is in formal session (with the Municipal Court judge presiding on the bench) every Wednesday morning, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The Court Staff is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. to address questions concerning Court matters. The Court Staff cannot provide legal counsel, but can answer your general questions concerning court procedures, fines and court costs as well as other general inquiries regarding court policies and operations.

TRAFFIC/MOVING VIOLATION CITATIONS

Please carefully read the reverse (back) side of your copy of any traffic citation issued to you – there are important instructions and information about the options available to you in the disposition of your citation printed there. Please note that if you request a driver safety (defensive driving) course, the Court requires that you obtain and present a certified copy of your driver history record from the Texas Department of Public Safety in order to verify your eligibility for the course – this must be presented on or before your initial (first) court appearance.

Jurisdiction

Traffic Violations:

Includes moving and non-moving violations, commercial vehicle violations, failure to maintain financial responsibility, no driver’s license, etc.

Parking Violations:

Violations of the city parking ordinances.

Class C Misdemeanors:

Offenses punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 including public intoxication, theft (less than $100), disorderly conduct, alcohol offenses involving minors, assaults, etc.

Violations of City Ordinance:

Violations of city codes including those for fire safety, zoning, public health and sanitation, animal control, and solid waste.

Court Procedures

Appearance
The law requires you to make an appearance on your case. Your appearance or Court date is noted on your citation. You (or your attorney) may do this in person before the Judge or in writing by mail or fax. For your convenience, there is a signature line and a plea line on the bottom of the citation which can be used as a written “appearance or written notification.

Pleas
Must enter one of these three pleas:

Guilty– means you admit guilt and either wish to give an explanation or pay the fine. Once the fine is paid the case is closed. To view form, please CLICK HERE .
Nolo Contendere (no contest) means that you personally do not want to admit guilt, but you do not want to contest the charge(s) in a trial. You may pay the fine; give an explanation or present proof of compliance. The Judge will review your case and determine disposition. To view form, please CLICK HERE .
Not Guilty– Means you deny guilt and want a bench or jury trial to be set at a later date in this Court. You must post a bond set by the Judge to ensure that you will be present for the trial. To view form, please CLICK HERE .

You may also plea without appearing in Court by printing and filling out the Plea Without Appearance form. To view form please CLICK HERE .

Driver’s Safety Courses (DSC)
If you are charged with a traffic offense, you may request DSC. The request must be made in writing (CLICK HERE for Form) before the appearance date on the citation. You must enter a plea of guilty or no contest; present a Texas DL and current insurance to the court; pay a fee of $144. You will have 90 days to complete DSC. Upon presenting a certificate of completion to the Court, the Judge may dismiss the offense.

Deferred Disposition
The judge may grant deferred disposition (place on probationary period 30-60-90 or 180 days) in most offenses. The request must be made in writing (CLICK HERE for Form) before the appearance date on the citation. If you do not violate any laws of the US during the probationary period, the Judge may dismiss the offense. The deferral fee is due. (call court for fee)

Registration/No DL
Invalid Registration or Failure to Display Driver’s License/Expired DL cases may be dismissed at the Judge’s discretion if the defect is remedied by your appearance date and proof is presented in writing to the Court (a $20 fee is required).

Failure to Provide Financial Responsibility
If you present evidence of financial responsibility (insurance), valid at the time of the offense, to the Court on or before your appearance date this violation may be dismissed.

Fines and Fees

If you are convicted of an offense and are unable to pay the fine and court costs, you may have the court assess your ability to pay and the court may provide alternatives to full payment in satisfying the judgment.

Failure to Appear

If you fail to appear in-person, by mail, or by fax by the date noted on your citation, you can be charged with an additional offense of “Violations Of Promise To Appear” or “Failure to Appear” and a warrant for your arrest will be issued.

The offenses of “Violation of Promise to Appear” and “Failure to Appear” carry with them additional court costs, fees, and fines.

Jury Duty

TO THE CITY OF LA FERIA JURORS:

You have been selected for JURY SERVICE in the Municipal Court of the City of La Feria. Jury service is an obligation of citizenship which is essential to the judicial process. It is an opportunity for you to make a meaningful contribution to ensure that justice is provided in our community.

The Judge of the Municipal Court recognizes that jury service entails an imposition on the citizens called for jury service. In order to minimize the burden caused by your jury service, report promptly at the date and time indicated to the City Hall Building located at 115 E. Commercial Ave.. La Feria, Texas.

To download and print the Juror Information Sheet please CLICK HERE .

Alcohol Related Offenses

Alcohol-Related Offenses / Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

You have been cited for one of the following violations:

Purchase of alcohol by minor
Attempt to purchase alcohol by a minor
Consumption of alcohol by a minor
Possession of alcohol by a minor
Misrepresentation of age by a minor
Public intoxication by a minor

RE: ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CODE 106.01 – 106.115

The following penalties for the above stated violations:

Fine (call court for fine).
Defendant MUST complete Alcohol Awareness course within 90 days. To print the course form CLICK HERE .
Community service hours. To view instructions, please CLICK HERE .
Driver’s license will be suspended or denied for 30 days. (60 days for second offense).

If you do not want to have your driver’s license suspended, you can request Deferred Disposition:

Fee (call court for fee).
Defendant MUST complete Alcohol Awareness course within 90 days. To print the course form CLICK HERE .
Community service hours. To view instructions, please CLICK HERE .

The Judge may place you on probation. If you are placed on probation you may not receive any violations/citations/arrests while on probation and the case will be dismissed, assuming you meet all conditions of probation.

If you wish to request Deferred Disposition, you need to submit a copy of your citation, a copy of your picture identification, a written request for deferred with a plea of No Contest and contact the court for the amount of the fine, costs and/or fees.

If you DO NOT wish to request Deferred Disposition, you need to submit a copy of your citation, a copy of your picture identification, a written plea of Guilty or No Contest and contact the court for the amount of the fine, costs and/or fees.

If you wish to plea Not Guilty or have any additional questions, please call (956) 797-2261 or fax at (956) 797-0056. To view this form, please CLICK HERE .

MUNICIPAL COURT