You may pay your citation online using the city’s payment button below. Please note that Code Compliance and Animal Services violations cannot be paid online.

Your initial court appearance date is printed on your citation. If your citation was handwritten by the officer, an initial court appearance date will be mailed to you. You may appear at the court office or pay your citation online prior to the initial appearance date. If you fail to appear on your initial appearance date, a second and final court appearance date will be mailed to you. If you do not appear on the second and final appearance date a warrant and an additional charge of failure/violate promise to appear may be issued for your arrest.

Legal Notice: Please note that nothing from the Somerset website should be considered legal advice.

If you are charged with a moving violation, you may request to take a driver safety course. If you hold a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), you are not eligible to take a driver safety course. You may appear at the court office prior to your appearance date to request a driver safety course and pay the necessary fees.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a driver safety course, you cannot have taken a driver safety course in the past 12 months. A $10 administrative fee plus court cost is paid to the Municipal Court at the same time a driver safety course is authorized. Defendants are required to find their own class. The Municipal Court does not offer driver safety courses. The class must be a Texas Department of Public Safety or the Texas Education Agency approved class. Proof of completion must be submitted to the Municipal Court within the time frame set by the Court in order for your citation to be dismissed.

If you are charged with speeding 25 mph over the posted speed limit or speeding 15 mph over in a school zone, you are not eligible to take a driver safety course.

Request Driver Safety Course

To request to take a driver safety course by mail, you must print out the Driver Safety Request Form at the button below and mail it to Somerset Municipal Court along with a money order prior to your appearance date.

All required original documents must be submitted to the court office on time. An extension will not be granted. The court does not accept documents by fax or email; documents must be submitted in person or by mail. For a complete list of required documents, please refer to the affidavit given to you at the time you signed up for the class or print out Driver Safety Request form. Incomplete documentation will be returned.

With a plea of guilty or no contest, you may be eligible for probation, known as deferred disposition. If you are under age 25, and eligible to take a driver safety course, you must take a driver safety course as a condition of deferred disposition. If you hold a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), you are not eligible for deferred disposition. You may appear at the court office prior to your appearance date to request deferred disposition.

Eligibility

To be eligible for deferred disposition, you cannot have received deferred disposition within the past year. As a condition of your deferred disposition, you must not receive another citation in the City of Somerset during your deferral period. At the conclusion of your deferral period, the Judge will dismiss your citation provided you have met all the conditions. This will keep the violation from being reported on your driving record.

If you are charged with speeding 25 mph over the posted speed limit or 15 mph over in a school zone, you must see the Judge to request a deferred disposition.

Request Deferred Disposition

To request a deferred disposition by mail, you must print the Online Deferred Form from the button below and mail it to Somerset Municipal Court along with a money order prior to your appearance date

If you feel you are not guilty of the offense as charged, you may appear at the court office prior to your initial appearance date, and you will be set for a pre-trial court date with the City Prosecutor. After meeting with the City Prosecutor, you may still request a Bench Trial or Jury Trial. A Bench Trial is a trial before the Judge. The Judge decides the facts and renders judgment. A Jury Trial consists of a jury of six Somerset residents who will decide the facts and render judgment.

If you received a citation for No Insurance (Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility), or for Expired Violations (expired drivers license or expired registration), you may be eligible for dismissal if you meet certain requirements. Learn more about dismissals on the Dismissals page.

If you have been charged with Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility (No Insurance), you must appear the court office prior to your appearance date for the following:

• If you had insurance on the date and time of your offense, you must present a valid insurance card or policy that was in effect at the date and time of your offense. Upon verification of your insurance coverage, your citation will be presented to the Judge for dismissal.

• If you cannot show valid proof of insurance for the date of the violation, but have purchased insurance since then, you must appear on your appearance date to speak with the Judge. If you cannot show proof of insurance for the date of the violation and have not purchased insurance since your date of violation, you may pay online or set up a payment plan at the court office prior to your appearance date. Payment of the fine will result in a conviction on your driving record.

The following offense may be dismissed with a $10 fee if the vehicle is inspected by the City Marshal at the court office prior to your appearance date. Call the court office to make an appointment.

• Operate vehicle with defective required equipment

The following offenses may be dismissed with a $20 fee if presented to the court by your appearance date

• Fail to report change of address or name on DL

• Expired DL

The offenses of no or expired registration may be dismissed with a $20 fee if corrected within 20 working days of the citation date and if a penalty was paid to the State. Proof must be provided and the fee paid prior to your appearance date. If not, the fine and cost can be paid online or at the court office prior to your appearance date.

If a defendant is 16 years old or younger and has any of the violations listed, they may appear with a parent or guardian at the court office prior to their appearance date for a dismissal as stated above.