DWI and driving
Dallas traffic ticket and occupational license lawyer.
A ticket feels small until it turns into a warrant, a hold on your license renewal or a suspension that keeps you from getting to work. Most tickets are Class C misdemeanors with no jail, but how you resolve them decides what lands on your driving record. We handle tickets and ticket warrants in municipal, justice of the peace and county courts across Dallas County and nearby counties, and we get occupational licenses so suspended drivers can keep working.
Right now
If you just got a ticket or found a warrant.
- 01
Do not just pay it
Paying a ticket is a plea. It becomes a conviction on your driving record. Ask first about deferred disposition, a driving safety course or a not guilty plea.
- 02
Find your appearance date
It is on the citation or on the court's website. Missing it can lead to a warrant, a separate failure to appear charge and a hold on your license renewal.
- 03
If you already missed it, call before you get stopped
We confirm whether there is a warrant, post an attorney bond to lift it when that fits, and ask the judge to remove the license hold.
- 04
Tell us if you drive commercially
CDL holders cannot use a driving safety course to keep a ticket off their record, even in a personal car. A few tickets can cost a commercial license.
- 05
If you cannot pay, say so
Judges must consider whether you can afford a fine. Payment plans, community service and reductions are options. Ignoring the fine is what leads to warrants.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Most traffic tickets
- Class C misdemeanor: fine up to $500, no jailSource: Tex. Penal Code 12.23
- Missed court or unpaid fine
- DPS can refuse to renew your license until the case is resolvedSource: Tex. Transp. Code ch. 706
- Driving safety course
- Once every 12 months, not for CDL holders or certain violationsSource: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. ch. 45A
- No insurance (first offense)
- Fine of $175 to $350Source: Tex. Transp. Code 601.191
- Old surcharge program
- Driver Responsibility surcharges were repealed in 2019
- Occupational license
- Court order to drive for work, school and household needs during a suspensionSource: Tex. Transp. Code 521.242
Texas law
How Texas handles tickets and suspensions.
Traffic tickets are criminal cases, even when the only punishment is a fine. They are heard in municipal courts for violations inside a city and in justice of the peace courts for the rest of the county. A conviction goes on your driving record with DPS, where insurers and employers can see it. Unresolved cases turn into warrants and license holds.
| Offense | Range of punishment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding, red light, failure to yield and most moving violations | Class C: fine up to $500 | Usually eligible for deferred disposition or a driving safety course. |
| Speeding in a school zone or a construction zone with workers present | Class C, with a higher minimum fine in a work zone | A driving safety course may not be allowed when workers were present. |
| No insurance | $175 to $350 first; $350 to $1,000 after that | Proof you had coverage on the date of the ticket can lead to a dismissal. |
| Driving while license invalid | Class C; Class B with a prior or no insurance (up to 180 days, $2,000) | Can mean arrest at the stop. |
| Failure to appear | Separate Class C: fine up to $500 | Comes with a warrant and a license renewal hold. |
| Passing a stopped school bus | Fine of $500 to $1,250 | A second conviction can bring a license suspension. |
| Commercial driver: two or three serious violations in 3 years | 60 or 120 days without commercial driving privileges | Serious violations include speeding 15 mph or more over the limit. |
Paying is pleading
When you pay a ticket, you accept a conviction. Deferred disposition works like a short probation: you pay a fee, keep a clean record for a set time and the ticket is dismissed. A driving safety course can do the same for many tickets.
Source: Tex. Code Crim. Proc. ch. 45ALicense renewal holds
When you miss court or do not pay, the court can report you to DPS, which then refuses to renew your license. The hold lifts when the case is resolved and the fee is paid.
Source: Tex. Transp. Code 706.004Occupational license
If your license is suspended for most reasons, a court can grant an occupational license for essential needs like work, school and household duties. You need SR-22 insurance, and the order limits your hours and purposes. It is not available for commercial driving.
Source: Tex. Transp. Code 521.244How we work
How we handle tickets, warrants and suspensions.
Mr. Estrada sets the approach for each case, and our staff handles the court contacts, filings and deadlines with him. Most ticket matters can be handled without you missing work, and you get updates in English or Spanish.
01
Read the complaint
We check the citation and the complaint for errors and ask whether the officer's account holds up. A faulty complaint can be dismissed.
02
Choose the outcome that protects your record
Deferred disposition, a driving safety course, a reduction to a non-moving violation, a dismissal or a trial. The right choice depends on your record and your license type.
03
Lift warrants and holds
We post attorney bonds to lift warrants when that fits, set the cases for a new date and ask the court to clear the DPS renewal hold.
04
Protect commercial drivers
For CDL holders, we look at every ticket for its effect on the commercial license and push for outcomes that do not count as serious violations.
05
Get you driving again
We prepare the occupational license petition, line up the SR-22 and any interlock, and present it to the judge so you can get to work legally.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“He made sure he addressed all of our questions and put us at ease. He never made it seem like we were an inconvenience.”Why a ticket can matter more than the fine.
- My job and my CDL
- Drivers, delivery workers and anyone who drives a company vehicle can lose work over a few convictions. Commercial drivers face federal disqualification rules on top of Texas law.
- Insurance rates
- Convictions on your driving record can raise your premiums for years. Keeping a ticket off the record usually saves more than the fine.
- Warrants and immigration
- A ticket by itself is rarely an immigration issue. An arrest on an old ticket warrant is different: booking means fingerprints, and fingerprints are shared with federal agencies. Clearing old warrants is a way to avoid that.
Dallas and Odessa
Courts we handle tickets in.
We handle tickets and ticket warrants in the Dallas Municipal Court, the municipal courts of the cities around Dallas, the justice of the peace courts and the county courts in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis and Kaufman counties. Occupational license petitions are filed in the county or district court with jurisdiction over your case, and our Oak Cliff office handles them for drivers across the area.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Should I just pay my ticket?
Usually not without checking your options first. Paying is a conviction that goes on your driving record. Deferred disposition or a driving safety course often costs about the same and keeps the ticket off.
Can I take defensive driving to dismiss my ticket?
Many drivers can, once every 12 months, if they ask the court before the deadline. It is not available to CDL holders and not for some offenses, like certain high speeds, passing a school bus or work zone violations with workers present.
I have a warrant for an old ticket. Will I be arrested?
You can be, at any traffic stop. We can confirm the warrant, post an attorney bond or set the case so the warrant is lifted, often without you going to jail.
Why won't DPS renew my license?
Usually because a court reported a missed appearance or an unpaid fine. The hold stays until that case is resolved. We find which court placed it and clear it.
How do I get an occupational license?
You file a petition with a court explaining your essential need to drive, with proof of SR-22 insurance. If the judge grants it, you carry the order and drive only within its hours and purposes. Some suspensions have a waiting period first.
How much does it cost to hire you?
The first consultation is free. We discuss the fee and payment options up front, before you sign anything.
Related situations
- Driving without a license
- DWI license hearing (ALR)
- DWI
- Jail release, bond and warrants
- All: State Criminal Defense
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.