Grapevine Ticket Attorney

Nobody enjoys having a ticket issued by a Grapevine police officer.  However, when a ticket is issued in Grapevine, Texas you want to make sure you take steps to protect your permanent record.  This page is dedicated to helping those that have been issued a ticket that is now pending in Grapevine Municipal Court.  If you would like to discuss your case with our Grapevine ticket attorneys after reading this page, call 214-321-4105.

What Types of Cases Does Grapevine Municipal Court Handle?

The Grapevine Municipal Court primarily deals with two main categories of offenses: traffic tickets and Class C misdemeanors.

Traffic Tickets:

A significant portion of the cases heard in Grapevine Municipal Court involve traffic violations. These can range from minor infractions to more serious moving violations. Some common examples include:

• Speeding: Exceeding the posted speed limit.
• Running a Red Light or Stop Sign: Failing to obey traffic control devices.
• Failure to Yield Right of Way: Not allowing another vehicle or pedestrian to proceed when they have the legal right to do so.
• No Insurance: Operating a vehicle without the required minimum liability insurance.
• No Driver’s License or Driving with an Invalid License: Failing to possess a valid driver’s license or driving while your license is suspended or revoked.
• Unsafe Lane Change: Changing lanes without ensuring it is safe to do so.
• Equipment Violations: Issues with vehicle equipment such as non-functioning lights or expired inspections.

Even seemingly minor traffic tickets can have consequences. Convictions can lead to fines, potential increases in your insurance premiums, and even driver’s license suspension if you accumulate too many moving violations.

Class C Misdemeanors:

Grapevine Municipal Court also has jurisdiction over various Class C misdemeanor offenses, which are less serious criminal charges punishable by a fine of up to $500 and do not carry jail time. Some examples of Class C misdemeanors that may be filed in Grapevine Municipal Court include:

• Assault by Contact: Intentionally or knowingly causing physical contact with another person when you know or should reasonably believe that the other person will regard the contact as offensive or provocative.
• Theft Under $100: Unlawfully appropriating property valued at less than $100.
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: Possessing items designed or intended for use in the use, manufacture, or distribution of illegal drugs.
• Criminal Trespass: Entering or remaining on property without the owner’s consent or after receiving notice not to enter or remain.
• Disorderly Conduct: Engaging in offensive or disruptive behavior in a public place.
• Certain Alcohol-Related Offenses: Such as public intoxication.
• Animal Control Violations: Violations of city ordinances related to animal ownership.

While Class C misdemeanors may seem less severe, a conviction can still result in a criminal record, which can have long-term implications for employment, background checks, and other aspects of your life.

Avoiding Warrants For Tickets In Grapevine Municipal Court

Whenever a ticket is issued by a police officer in Grapevine, Texas the person who received the citation has at minimum 10 days to contact the court to inform them how they intend to proceed with the case.  Grapevine ticket attorneys refer to this 10 day period of time as the “appearance date window.”  This window of time allows a defendant enough time to consult a lawyer and determine how they would like to proceed.

In order to avoid a warrant in Grapevine, Texas for tickets, it is important that you make contact with Grapevine Municipal Court during this 10 day period.  The purpose of the contact is to inform the court whether you intend to plead guilty, no contest, or not guilty.  Based on your plea and the type of ticket issued, you will then be given certain options.  Each plea has a different meaning in Texas law.  Those meanings are as follows:

• GUILTY:  Guilty pleas for tickets in Grapevine Municipal Court mean that you can be convicted of the offense alleged in the ticket.  The offense can be reported to all applicable state and federal agencies as a result.  This type of plea is normally the one entered on your behalf if you choose to simply pay the ticket online without doing anything to protect your record.
• NO CONTEST:  The only difference between a guilty plea and no contest is that the conviction cannot be used against you if there is a civil suit pending that was related to the offense itself.  For example, if you were cited for following too closely that resulted in an accident and pled no contest, a personal injury attorney could not use the conviction against you to prove their case.
• NOT GUILTY:  Not guilty is the safest way to protect your record.  When you enter a not guilty plea, Grapevine Municipal Court is required to give you a formal pretrial hearing where you can discuss your case with a prosecutor.  This discussion can lead to a deal being struck where your record is protected in exchange for meeting certain conditions.  The conversation can also lead to a dismissal of your case.

Depending on what type of plea you enter in response to your ticket in Grapevine, Texas the court will take the appropriate action based on that plea.  If you are not sure what plea to enter, always enter a plea of not guilty and then call a Grapevine ticket lawyer to discuss your options further.

What To Do If Your Grapevine Ticket Is In Warrant

If your ticket has gone into warrant in Grapevine Municipal Court, don’t panic.  Many people will pay their tickets off in full out of fear of being arrested for the ticket.  This is the worst possible mistake a person could make because the payment of the ticket creates a conviction that is then reported to that person’s permanent criminal record.

What you want to do when your case has gone into warrant is hire a lawyer to file a document with Grapevine Municipal Court referred to as an “appearance bond.”  This document will effectively recall the warrant and reset the case as if a warrant had never been issued.  The appearance bond is able to recall the warrant based on the Grapevine ticket attorney’s promise to return to court at a later date and resolve your case.

How An Attorney Protects Your Record In Grapevine, Texas

Attorneys will always enter a plea of not guilty on behalf of their clients in Grapevine Municipal Court.  This allows the Grapevine ticket lawyer to review any and all evidence the police department has against their client.  If the evidence is not sufficient to find their client guilty, then they will request dismissal of the case.

If the evidence is sufficient to find a person guilty in Grapevine Municipal Court, then the ticket attorney can attempt to negotiate a deal that would protect the clients record if they complete certain conditions.  The most common condition is to “stay out of trouble” for a certain period of time.  More specifically, do not get any new tickets in Grapevine, Texas for 30-180 days.  The next condition would be to pay the court a negotiated fee in return for protecting the client’s record.  These types of agreements are usually referred to as “deferral agreements.”

Hire A Lawyer For Tickets In Grapevine, Texas

Because convictions are being used more than ever before to make important decisions about people, we highly suggest you do everything you can to keep your record clear.  A variety of tickets can impact employment, housing, the right to bear arms, and driving privileges in Texas.  Take the time to discuss your tickets in Grapevine with a legal professional.  Call the ticket attorneys at The Beltz Law Firm today.