Court Procedures

This notice is furnished to you by the Judge of the Llano Municipal Court to assist you in making disposition of the charge(s) filed against you.

Your signature on the citation you received is not a plea of guilty.

You have the right to a jury trial. You may waive that right to a jury trial and have a trial before the judge. If you plead guilty, no contest, or were found guilty at trial, a guilty conviction is entered and is reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety and may reflect on your driving record.

Court Appearances

If you were issued a citation, your appearance date is noted on the citation near the bottom. If you have been released on bond, you and your bondsman will be notified in writing of your appearance date. You, or your attorney of record, may appear in person in open court or by mail. Telephone calls do not constitute an appearance before the court.

Pleas

Your first appearance is to determine your plea. Your decision concerning which plea to enter is very important. You should read the following explanation of the 3 types of pleas and think carefully before making your decision.

Plea of Not Guilty

A plea of not guilty means that you are informing the court that you deny guilt or that you have a good defense for your case. On a plea of not guilty, a formal trial is held. As in all criminal trials, the state is required to prove the guilt of the defendant "beyond a reasonable doubt". You have a choice of a trial by judge or a jury trial. If you prefer a trial by judge, you must sign a form waiving your right to a jury trial.

Plea of Guilty

By entering a plea of guilty you admit that the act is prohibited by law, that you committed the act charged, and that you have no defense or excuse for your act. Before entering your plea of guilty, you should understand the following:

  • The state has the burden of proving you violated the law
  • You have the right to hear the state's evidence and require the state to prove you violated the law
  • A plea of guilty may be used against you in a civil suit if damages were incurred as a result of your actions

Plea of Nolo Contendre (No Contest)

A plea of nolo contendre means that you do not contest the State's charge against you. A plea of nolo contendre cannot be used against you in a subsequent civil suit for damages.

If you are mailing in your written plea, the form is available HERE.  

Enter your plea of not guilty, guilty or nolo contendre (no contest) and complete the form as indicated.

If paying your fine, refer to the fine information tab on the left side of this page to determine the total amount assessed against you or call the Court at 325.247.1928.  Make your remittance by cashier’s check or money order payable to the Llano Municipal Court or electronically at www.municipalonlinepayments.com/llanotx. Return your signed plea form and a copy of your citation with your remittance by your appearance date shown on your citation.


Not Guilty Plea Representation

If you wish to enter a plea of not guilty and desire a trial, you may indicate so by mail on the plea form or in person by your appearance date shown on your citation. You will be notified by return mail of the court date set for your hearing

If you plead not guilty, you will need to decide if you want to employ an attorney to represent you at the trial. You may defend yourself, but no one other than an attorney may represent you.

If you choose to represent yourself, you must be prepared. The court staff, prosecuting attorney or judge cannot act as your attorney by providing legal advice or assistance in the presentation of your case.


Pre-Trial

The pre-trial setting is your opportunity to be apprised of the charges against you and to consider your options. The prosecutor meets with you to review the case. Depending on the circumstances, the prosecutor might offer deferred adjudication. If no agreement can be reached, the case will be set for trial.


Fines

The amount of fine the court assesses is determined only by the facts and circumstances of the case. View the Fine Information page for more information.

If you are convicted of an offense and the Court determines that you are unable to pay the fine and court costs, there are alternatives to the full payment of any fine or costs owed, which may include installment payments and community service.


Court Costs & Fees

If you are found guilty of an offense, mandated state court costs are included in the amount due. These charges vary according to the offense. Court costs are also applicable to defensive driving and deferred adjudication.

If you fail to respond to the charge(s) filed against you by the date given on your citation, an additional charge may be filed against you, and warrants will be issued for your arrest. A warrant fee of $50 will be assessed on each charge for executing or processing the warrant. Renewal of your driver’s license may also be denied.