San Antonio Municipal Court to Continue Remote Proceedings
March 9, 2021 - San Antonio
Putting safety first. “The health and safety of the court staff, court visitors, and the San Antonio community continue to be the court’s top priority,” said a City spokesperson on Monday. Photo: Sora Shimazaki.
By Jade Esteban Estrada, Staff Writer | San Antonio Sentinel
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The San Antonio Municipal Court will continue to conduct proceedings remotely and "take any other reasonable actions" to avoid exposing others to the threat of Covid-19
- All appearances, including traffic, parking, civil, pretrial conferences, hearings or trails can be resolved by contact-free methods
On March 3, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-34 relating to the reopening of Texas in response to the coronavirus. The San Antonio Municipal Court will, however, continue to conduct proceedings remotely and “take any other reasonable actions to avoid exposing others to the threat of Covid-19,” according to a City press release.
Residents may continue to appear for limited in-person hearings between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The San Antonio Municipal Court will continue utilizing all customer service outlets to ensure accessibility to those requiring assistance from the court. Individuals may contact the court via the call center, email, and chat, or be scheduled for a Zoom, or on-site Zoom hearing.
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“The court strives to meet the needs of the community by continually enhancing and advancing its service methods, ensuring access to the court is available to underserved communities, vulnerable populations, and all those seeking municipal court assistance to resolve outstanding citations,” said a City spokesperson. “The health and safety of the court staff, court visitors and the San Antonio community continue to be the court’s top priority. Masks will be required of court personnel, law enforcement and court visitors until further notice.”
All appearances, including traffic, parking, civil, pretrial conferences, hearings or trails can be resolved by the following contact-free methods:
Call 210-207-8970 (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday)
Email at sacourt@sanantonio.gov
Contact-free on premise court kiosks at 401 S. Frio Street (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday)
Virtual Court Dockets (set by the court)
Online to request defensive driving, probation, or to make a payment
Jade Esteban Estrada is a staff writer for the San Antonio Sentinel, where he covers public health and other citywide issues. jade@sasentinel.com | Twitter: @getjaded