If you received a speeding ticket tomorrow, would you be able to pay it?
It’s not uncommon for a person to get a speeding ticket or commit any other kind of minor offense at some point in their life. Oftentimes, that minor offense turns into something major due to barriers that are out of a person’s control: they are unable to afford their fines, their work prevents them from being able to attend court, or they simply lack transportation. The problem is, these unresolved fines can turn into a serious problem because they can lead to holds on driver’s licenses and prevent residents from driving legally.
My goal as the City of Victoria Municipal Court Judge is to be solution-oriented, and in doing so, I want to give residents the opportunity to be met halfway so that everyone can access our services. One of the ways I am able to accomplish this is by offering payment deferrals, reduced fines, community service and other pathways to help residents clear their records. We also work to give residents a variety of opportunities to meet with me regardless of their circumstances.
For the citizens whose jobs prevent them from being able to attend a court docket, we offer weekend and evening dockets so they can come on their own schedules. For those who can’t attend simply due to lack of transportation, we offer virtual dockets so they can attend from home. We try to allow them flexibility in how they can take care of their business.
February is Warrant Resolution Month for the court, and we make a special effort to help citizens resolve their cases this month by hosting extra dockets. You can resolve your warrant at our next e-court session at 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26, by clicking the E-Court Appearance link at www.victoriatx.gov/municipalcourt. We will also host our regularly scheduled walk-in docket 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, so citizens can visit us in person if they prefer.
Another initiative that I’m especially proud of is our outreach dockets, where we meet with citizens at local nonprofits to help them resolve their cases. Our outreach dockets allow us to meet and connect with residents where they are. The next one will be 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at The Salvation Army.
The outreach dockets are a collaborative effort by the court, our community partners and local attorneys who are all working together to support residents who want to get back on the right path. It has been truly moving to see how much our residents appreciate this program.
If you would like to partner with the court to host an outreach docket or other type of event, please fill out our community outreach form at www.victoriatx.gov/courtoutreach.
Even when it isn’t Warrant Resolution Month, taking care of a speeding ticket shouldn’t be a struggle. If you’ve fallen behind on your payments and you’re unsure how to get back on track, please contact the court at 361-485-3050 or courtclerk@victoriatx.gov so we can explore your options.
Vanessa Heinold is the City of Victoria Municipal Court judge.