Pop-Up News

Fun new Dallas pop-up lets you clear up old tickets and warrants scot-free

Handcuffs are totally optional, if that's your "thing."

There's a fun new pop-up coming to Dallas, this one from the city of Dallas: It's hosted by Dallas Municipal Court, and gives residents an opportunity to clear up outstanding warrants.

According to Daisy Fast, interim director of Court and Detention Services and possessor of maybe the coolest name ever, the pop-ups will let residents make outstanding warrant and citation/ticket resolution easy and convenient.

"The City of Dallas Municipal Court is looking forward to going out into the community and assisting individuals with their outstanding warrants and citations," Fast says in a statement. "We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to resolve their citations without having to make a trip downtown."

The pop-up events take place in late February, plus another and in the following locations:

February 22-23, 10 am-1 pm

Nash Davis Recreation Center, 3710 North Hampton Rd.
Umphress Recreation Center, 7616 Umphress Rd.

February 29, 10 am-1 pm

Martin Weiss Recreation Center, 1111 Martindale Ave.
White Rock Hills Branch Library, 9150 Ferguson Rd.

March 1, 10 am-1 pm

Martin Weiss Recreation Center, 1111 Martindale Ave.
White Rock Hills Branch Library, 9150 Ferguson Rd.

City staff will provide on-site assistance and services to address the needs of the community.

Dallas Municipal Court wants to make it a comfortable environment where residents feel welcome and safe. Residents with outstanding citations will not be arrested at any of the pop-up locations or Dallas Municipal Court building.

In addition to these pop-ups, Dallas Municipal Court is also staying open late — until 7 pm — from Monday, February 24 through Wednesday, February 26.

For more information on resolving your ticket/citation, call Dallas Municipal Court at 214-670-3311.

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Weed News

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Dallas over decriminalization of marijuana

Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife

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The City of Dallas has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for its efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

According to a release, Paxton has sued the city for adopting a city charter amendment that would decriminalize marijuana-related offenses and prohibit police from enforcing Texas law.

That amendment was Proposition R, or Dallas Freedom Act, which decriminalizes possession of four ounces of marijuana or less. Voters passed the amendment in the November 5 election, with 67 percent voting in favor.

The lawsuit, filed against the Dallas City Council, alleges that Proposition R is unconstitutional and violates Texas drug laws criminalizing any amount of marijuana.

Paxton says that cities can't "pick and choose which state laws to follow." He's proposing a permanent injunction to stop Proposition R from going into effect.

"The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them," says Paxton in a statement. "This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

Before the recent election, possession of two to four ounces of marijuana could result in a punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Ground Game Texas, the activist nonprofit that has also helped get marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in elections across Texas, first got the issue on the ballot in July with the necessary 50,000 signatures.

Dallas is not the only city to be sued; Paxton also filed lawsuits against five other cities in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and San Marcos in January for their ballots and policies decriminalizing marijuana.

Both Austin and San Marcos had a judge overturn their cases, according to a FOX 4 report.

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