Pleas / Options

Pleas

You should read the following explanations of all three types of pleas and think carefully before making your decision of which plea you should use:

Plea of Guilty – By a plea of guilty, you admit that the act is prohibited by law, and that you have no defense or excuse for the act. A plea of guilty can be used against you later in a civil suit if there was a traffic accident (another party can say you were at fault or responsible for the accident because you pled guilty to the traffic charge).

Plea of Nolo Contendere (no contest) – A plea of nolo contendere means that you do not contest the State’s charge against you. You will almost certainly be found guilty, unless you are eligible and successfully complete a driving safety course and/or court ordered probation. Also, a plea of nolo contendere cannot be used against you in a subsequent civil suit for damages.

Plea of Not Guilty – A plea of not guilty means that you are informing the Court that you deny guilt or that you have a good defense in your case, and that the State must prove what it has charged against you. If you plead not guilty, you will need to decide whether to hire an attorney to represent you or represent yourself in court.

Options

• Option 1: Plead Guilty or Nolo Contendere (no contest) in writing and pay your ticket before 15 days have past from the date on your ticket. Pleading guilty can be accomplished with a letter in the mail or by coming to the office to sign a plea form. To plea no contest, sign the back of your ticket. Please call the court office for the fine amount and court costs, at (512) 930-3625. Either mail or bring in the ticket, along with your payment to:
  
  Georgetown Municipal Court
  101 E 7th St. P.O. Box 1424
  Georgetown, Texas 78627-1424
• Option 2: Plead not guilty. This can be accomplished by a letter through the mail or by coming in person to the Court office to request a trial. This must be done before 15 days have past from the date on the ticket. The case will be set for an arraignment court session prior to a trial date being scheduled. Trials are held once per month, on a Wednesday. A courtesy letter will be mailed approximately ten days prior to the trial date. You will need to bring any witnesses with you, the day of the trial.
• Option 3: Plead guilty or Nolo Contendere (no contest) within 15 days from the date on your ticket and request a court date. You can set your case for an arraignment session to explain circumstances or to just talk to the judge. Arraignment sessions are held once per month, on a Wednesday. If you request this option, you will be mailed a courtesy letter reminding you of your court date and time approximately ten days before the court date.