When you receive a traffic ticket in Texas, you have the right to contest that ticket in court. These cases are normally tried in a municipal court, which has jurisdiction over Class C misdemeanors punishable by fines only–no jail time–such as traffic violations. By default, you will receive a jury trial, unless you agree in […]

If you have been pulled over and cited for a traffic violation, you might be wondering if the officer is not just trying to fulfill some “quota” assigned to them by their superiors. Indeed, the idea of traffic ticket quotas has been in popular culture for many years. But do they actually exist? More to […]

When you are involved in a minor traffic accident with another car, you should always get out and exchange information with the other driver. The same applies if you are involved in an accident that damages a fixture or structure while driving–you should always notify the property owner there has been an accident. Indeed, failure […]

While it is always important to obey the posted speed limits on Houston-area roads, you need to be especially careful when driving in and around active construction zones. Under state law, the minimum and maximum fines for speeding in a “construction or maintenance work zone” are double the normal amounts if there are “workers present” […]

Drag racing is a popular sport in Texas. But it is important to distinguish the legal, organized sport of drag racing–i.e., events held at tracks and sanctioned by governing bodies–from individuals conducting their own late-night races on public highways. The latter is a misdemeanor traffic violation that can quickly escalate to a felony if someone […]

For many Houston-area residents, dealing with a traffic ticket is usually their first interaction with the local court system. Many people in this situation do not fully understand their rights and obligations under the law. With that in mind, here is a brief overview of what happens after a police officer issues you a traffic […]

Not all traffic violations involve actions you make while driving a vehicle. Even if you are simply walking down a public street, an officer may stop and ticket you for violating certain traffic laws applicable to pedestrians. And if in the course of this “pedestrian stop,” an officer suspects you may be guilty of some […]

Even if you are a careful, responsible driver, there may be situations where you are cited for a traffic violation where you were unaware of the underlying cause. For example, under Section 504.945 of the Texas Transportation Code, a driver may be cited if the license plate on their vehicle “has a coating, covering, protective […]

Many traffic violations do not involve anyone besides the driver. For instance, if you run a red light through an otherwise empty intersection, you broke the law but did not hurt anyone. Of course, if a police officer saw you, she will still issue you a ticket. But when you are involved in an accident […]

Traffic violations are commonly used by Texas law enforcement to justify what would otherwise be an unlawful detention of a motorist. But as with any criminal offense, the officer must have “reasonable suspicion” that a traffic violation did, in fact, occur. That is to say, the officer must be able to articulate specific facts that, […]