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Cedar Hill municipal court details walk‑in dockets, youth diversion and warrant‑resolution outreach
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Summary
Municipal Court Administrator Bobby Spence told the City Council that the court has added twice‑monthly "safe harbor" walk‑in dockets, implemented a local youth diversion plan required by state law, increased juror pay to $20 and expanded warrant‑resolution efforts that include mailed notices, electronic signage and text blasts. Spence credited the
Bobby Spence, municipal court administrator, told the City of Cedar Hill Council on Oct. 28, 2025, that the municipal court has added twice‑monthly "safe harbor" walk‑in dockets, expanded juror pay and launched a youth diversion plan to improve case resolution and community outcomes.
Spence said the safe harbor walk‑in dockets, initiated by Presiding Judge Dr. Greg Andrew Shallon, run twice a month (24 times a year) and let people who have warrants or citations meet the judge and work out a resolution without immediate arrest. "If they can't pay in full, they don't have to be afraid of going to jail," Spence said, describing the goal of reducing arrests through voluntary resolution.
The court also moved to regularly scheduled trial dockets to reduce delays. Spence said the court's change to a court of record cut the number of appeals that previously left local jurisdiction to the county; he reported zero appeals since that change took effect. He credited more predictable dockets and the new walk‑in sessions with improving efficiency.
On juror compensation, Spence noted the council adopted an ordinance increasing pay from $6 to $20 per day, funded by the municipal jury fund and authorized under Texas law. "We appreciate our jurors; we can't have jury trials without our jurors," Spence said.
Warrant reduction and roundup programs are now held twice a year and include an amnesty period and incentives — Spence said the judge may allow up to a $50 reduction on fines if a warrant is paid in full during the amnesty. Notification for roundups uses multiple methods: a mailed postcard produced and mailed by the court's outside collection vendor, social media posts by the police department, the city's electronic message signs, targeted phone calls by marshals and text‑message blasts from the court system. Councilmember Alan Sims asked about notification; Spence described the layered outreach as necessary for program success.
Spence described the local youth diversion plan the court adopted to meet requirements discussed as House Bill 3186 and work stemming from the 88th Texas Legislature. The diversion program targets youth cited for offenses such as theft, assault or drug‑alcohol violations and emphasizes early intervention, mentoring, community service and education. The court is coordinating community service and mentoring opportunities with multiple city departments and community partners, including the library, parks and recreation, the Tri‑City Animal Shelter and local nonprofits.
Spence praised the court staff, marshals and judges and described operational changes that have affected outcomes. He said the court cleared about 29% more citations in the most recent fiscal year than were filed and cleared 44% more warrants than the prior year, improvements he attributed to the new procedures, amnesty programs and interdepartmental collaboration.
The municipal court also emphasized community outreach as part of its public‑safety work. Programs cited by Spence include the Sober Prom Pledge — an annual prevention event recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving — and a "Justice for Animals" workshop developed with the Tri‑City Animal Shelter. Spence invited the public to Municipal Court Week events scheduled for early November.
The council had no substantive debate on the court presentation; members praised the court's outreach and asked procedural questions about notification and implementation.
