Our History
In 1991, the Texas Legislature increased court costs for traffic tickets and burdened the judiciary’s ability to enter orders of deferred disposition. The Municipal Justice Bar Association of Texas (MJBAT) was started in 1992 in response to these changes. The Association was founded by Larry Rousseau of Houston, Randall Scott of Dallas, Marc Sideman of San Antonio, Woody McAndrew of Fort Bend County, and Pat Monks of Houston.
In 1993, Larry Rousseau was elected MJBAT’s first president, and the Association’s first CLE was held in Arlington. CLEs have continued in different parts of Texas every year since, except for the COVID years when we transitioned to ZOOM CLEs/conferences. In addition, 3 CLE programs were held in Mexico in conjunction with the Dallas Municipal Justice Bar Association. These CLEs have been an invaluable resource for our members.
The Municipal Justice Bar Association of Texas became Traffic Lawyers of Texas (TLOT) in 2015. The change clarifies the organization’s makeup and purpose and distinguishes TLOT from the Texas Municipal Judges Association. The members of TLOT wanted to clarify that we are an association of defense attorneys and not a ‘Judges Association.’
Traffic Lawyers of Texas works with two local traffic bar associations, an association in Dallas known as the Municipal Justice Bar Association (MJBA) and the Harris County Municipal Justice Bar Association (HCMJBA). MJBA was formed in 1990 and meets monthly at the Belo Mansion in Dallas. HCMJBA was formed in 1995 and meets monthly for CLE in person or via ZOOM. HCMJBA also has an annual CLE, traditionally on the 2nd Saturday of February.
Traffic Lawyers of Texas has emerged as the only statewide association for defense attorneys who practice in municipal and justice courts. TLOT has a strong history of education and advocating for its members and the defendants they represent. The following is a sample of TLOT’s actions toward these endeavors:
1993 – retained lobbyist to successfully amend the deferred adjudication statute to allow judicial flexibility;
1993 – successfully sought to limit the reach of surcharges (the original bill accessed surcharges upon completion of a driver’s safety course or a deferred disposition offer);
1993 – with implementing federal regulations outlawing a driver’s safety course or a deferred disposition offer for CDL holders, TLOT met the challenge with a statewide education program to inform our members on handling CDL violations;
1995 – a red light camera bill is before the legislature. We were successful in keeping red light camera violations out of Texas until 2003, when the red light camera bill was added last minute amendment on a Trucker bill. This amendment provided the authority to pass local red light camera ordinances. The legislature clarified the language in 2007. We were instrumental in presenting a bill to reverse the 2007 red light camera amendment;
2005 – had 45.051 amended to allow deferred disposition for CDL holders with parking violations or violations that do not involve motor vehicle control to bring the statute in line with federal regulations. Deferred disposition was restored as a remedy for administrative, equipment violations, and overweight and oversize offenses.
2017 – helped repeal red-light cameras in Texas (TLOT fought for removal every session since the camera’s inception in 1995)
2017 – helped repeal the surcharge program in its entirety. The surcharge program caused over 1 million license suspensions. 2017 – helped lower omni fees for outstanding tickets or fines.
Our Network of attorneys is a clearing house, a beacon of knowledge and proper procedure for practitioners who represent defendants charged with traffic violations and other class c misdemeanors. TLOT will continue its core mission of keeping its members at the cutting edge of defending cases in municipal court and advocating for the rights of the defendants its members represent.
