Freer Municipal Court


  • Notices
  • Procedures
  • How Do I...?
  • Forms
  • Resources
  • FAQs
  • Contact
  • About
  • Calendar
  • Youth Diversion Plan

Freer Municipal Court



City of Freer, Duval County, Texas
Judge Raquel de los Santos



Monday to Friday
8:30 am to 12:00 pm
1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
​
361.394.6097



PO Box 540
902 E Riley St
​Freer, Texas 78357

municipaljudge@freertx.us



NOTICES



INFORMATION ON THIS WEBPAGE IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE.



Closures



The Court will be closed on Friday, May 16 for outreach projects.



Upcoming Docket



Please click here to view the next scheduled contested docket.



Activity Report



Please click here to view the latest court appointment and fees report.



Youth Diversion Plan



Please click here to view the Court's Youth Diversion Plan.



Accessibility



The Court is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations and equal access to communications will be provided upon request.



PROCEDURES



First, read the "How do I..." and "FAQ" sections below. You can submit your plea or request using one of the Court's forms in the "Forms" section. If you have questions after reviewing this website, send an email to the Court with your question and the following identifying information:​

  1. full legal name
  2. current mailing address
  3. telephone number
  4. e-mail address
  5. date of birth

Our phone line is usually busy due to a high volume of callers. Your phone call DOES NOT count as an "appearance." You must use one of the Court's forms to enter a plea as your "appearance."



HOW DO I... ?



Find out how much my ticket costs



Click here to look up the case online.




Pay my ticket in full



TO PAY IN FULL:

  • Click here to pay by credit or debit card online or call 1.800.444.1187.
  • Mail a check or money order to PO Box 540, Freer, TX 78357. Please make payable to "Freer Municipal Court" and include your case number or date of birth on the memo line.

The above option requires a plea of guilty or no contest and will result in a judgment of guilt.


THE COURT DOES NOT ACCEPT CASH. Credit and debit card payments will incur a card processing fee. Please make checks and money orders for the exact payment amount.



Pay my ticket later or in monthly payments



TO REQUEST A 30-DAY EXTENSION TO PAY IN FULL, click here and submit the Reply Form. The 30-day extension is calculated as 30 days from your initial appearance date.


TO REQUEST A PAYMENT PLAN, click here and submit the Reply Form. A one-time $15.00 time payment fee will be applied 31 days after you make your request.


The above options require a plea of guilty or no contest and will result in a judgment of guilt.


THE COURT DOES NOT ACCEPT CASH. Credit and debit card payments will incur a card processing fee. Please make checks and money orders for the exact payment amount.



Seek a waiver, reduction, or community service to dispose of some or all of the costs



TO REQUEST THE JUDGE TO DETERMINE your resources and ability to pay, click here to submit the Reply Form. You will receive an application to complete, attach documentation of your income and expenses, and submit to the Court. Then, your case will be set for a hearing where you must appear before the Judge to discuss your resources and ability to pay or perform community service.




Seek jail credit to dispose of some or all of the costs



TO REQUEST JAIL CREDIT, send the following by mail or email:

  • Plea of either "guilty" or "no contest"
  • Waiver or right to a jury trial
  • Proof of conviction and sentencing
  • Proof of confinement

Credit can be applied if you were confined in jail or prison while serving a sentence for another offense if that confinement occurred after the date of your citation in this Court. Art. 45.041(c-1), CCP.




Plea Not Guilty / Contest my case



TO ENTER A PLEA OF NOT GUILTY, ​click here and submit the Reply Form.


You will receive a notice to appear for a pretrial setting by email or mail. This notice will inform you of your hearing date and time, and at that hearing you (or your attorney) will have an opportunity to confer with the prosecutor (optional) or proceed to trial at a later setting.



Request to take a Driver Safety Course



You can request the Court's permission to take a Driver Safety Course ("DSC") in lieu of paying the fine. If approved and successfully completed, your moving violation will be dismissed. To request this option:

  1. Click here to download and print the request form. Read the form carefully to verify that you are eligible to request DSC. If there is any line item you cannot initial because it is not true, that means you are not eligible for DSC.

  2. Complete the request form in its entirety, include the following, and sign the form before a Notary Public
    • ​​Check or money order in the amount of $144 (or $169 if the offense occurred in a school zone)
    • Copy of car insurance card with your name on it

  3. Mail the form and enclosures by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested or deliver in person.

Your submission must be postmarked by no later than your initial appearance date. Late or incomplete submissions will be rejected.



Request to be placed on Deferred Disposition



​You can request the Court's permission to be placed on deferred disposition. Deferred disposition is similar to a probation: you plea to the offense and submit the request, complete the required conditions, then submit an Affidavit at the end of the deferred period. If approved and successfully completed, your violation will be dismissed. To request this option:

  1. Click here to request Deferred Disposition online.
    ​

  2. After you submit your application ($5.95 fee), you must make full payment for the citation online (credit card processing fee applies).
    ​

  3. You will be notified by e-mail whether your request was approved and what the conditions of the deferred disposition are.

Your request and payment must be submitted by no later than your initial appearance date. Late submissions will be rejected.



Appear in Court if I am a juvenile



Juveniles under the age of seventeen (17) years must appear in person before the Judge with a parent or guardian present to enter a plea.​



Turn in documents for a "fix it ticket"



Some violations can be dismissed or fine reduced if you correct a problem within a certain time frame and show proof of this correction to the Court. Please mail or email your documents to the Court, and the staff will process your submission and contact you to let you know of the outcome.


A few examples of the type of proof needed include:

  • No insurance violation: Copy of car insurance card that was valid at the time the citation was issued
  • Expired registration: Copy of the Registration Renewal Receipt
  • Operate MV with no or only 1 license plate: Photographs of the front and rear of the vehicle, showing both license plates properly affixed
  • Defective tail lamp, head light, etc.: Photographs of the vehicle, showing the lights are working correctly

Please include your name, mailing address, phone number, and date of birth when you send in your proof of correction to the Court. If additional information is needed from you, the Court staff will contact you. The staff will also inform you if an administrative or other fee applies.



FORMS


Reply Form online
Reply Form by mail
Driver Safety Course
Deferred Disposition online

RESOURCES


Texas State Law Library
Texas Court Help
Legal Aid

FAQs



What do the different pleas mean?



A Guilty plea is like saying, "Yes, I admit I did it."

A plea of No Contest means, "I'm not saying whether or not I did it. I just do not want to take it to trial."

A Not Guilty plea is like saying, "I did not do it," or, "I want an opportunity to talk to the Prosecutor or have a trial by jury or judge."



How can I contact the Court?



Phone calls are answered during normal business hours. If you cannot reach the Court staff by phone, it is likely because they are on the line with another caller or Court is in session.

Please include your full legal name and date of birth on all emails to the Court.



I received a letter in the mail from a collections attorney. Now what?



The Court contracts with the collection firm Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP for collections on outstanding cases. If you have not yet entered a plea, you can use the Reply Form to do so. If you would like to pay in full, you can do so online or by mail. If you have any questions about your case status, please contact the Court.



I received a letter in the mail saying my case has been set for a Show Cause hearing. What can I do?



The Order to Show Cause will state the reason your case has been set. The date of the hearing is your final deadline to comply. You can contact the Court if you have questions.



I am still not sure what to do. Which option is best for me?



The Court staff must remain neutral and unbiased. They cannot tell you what option is best for you, but they can provide you with procedural information so you can make an educated decision on your own (or after seeking advice from your own legal counsel).



OUTREACH


Save Me With a Seat

TxDOT’s annual “Save Me With a Seat” campaign is hitting Texas airways and roadways as the nation recognizes National Child Passenger Safety week.. The campaign highlights the fact that an alarming number of car seats are being installed and used incorrectly. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59% of all child car seats are being misused. This is even more alarming given that vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children in the nation.


For a one-on-one TxDOT virtual car seat check, families can visit SaveMeWithaSeat.org and enter their zip code to email the nearest TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist to set up an appointment. Families will need a mobile electronic device with video and audio capabilities, like a cellphone, laptop or tablet. Parents and caregivers can also learn if a child should be in a rear-facing car seat, a forward-facing car seat or a booster seat, and get other car seat safety tips by visiting the website.


In 2019, 77 children younger than 8 years old died in traffic crashes in Texas, and 26 of those were unrestrained at the time of the crash. Among children ages 8-12 in 2019, 42 died in traffic crashes, with 18 of them unrestrained at the time of the crash.



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