OK there are two issues here. This gets pretty interesting and a more complex than I thought. I'm not a traffic lawyer, so there may be something that I've overlooked after researching this for just a few minutes. This is going to be super long...
There are two issues here: (1) I don't think you committed a crime (or more accurately, the offense for which you are liable for a civil penalty), and (2) Depending on the technicals of your Leaf's registration, the city in which this occurred must send
YOU the notice of the violation, and not Nissan.
As for (1), it's not stated in a very obvious way, but it appears that you only run the light if you go through AFTER the light as turned red, not when it's yellow and turns red when you're in the middle of the intersection, as you said you did (All sections are from transportation code).
Sec. 544.007. TRAFFIC-CONTROL SIGNALS IN GENERAL.
...
(d) An operator of a vehicle facing only a steady red signal shall stop at a clearly marked stop line.
...
(e) An operator of a vehicle facing a steady yellow signal is warned by that signal that:
(1) movement authorized by a green signal is being terminated; or
(2) a red signal is to be given.
It doesn't say anything about stopping when it's yellow. Also, the DMV website about traffic cameras has this to say (
http://www.txdot.gov/driver/laws/red-light/faqs.html):
Do cameras photograph every vehicle passing through an intersection?
No. Cameras are set so that only those vehicles that enter the intersection after the light has turned red are photographed. Vehicles entering the intersection on yellow, and still in the intersection when the light turns red, are not photographed.
Now, the part of the code that gives municipalities the right to ticket you from traffic cameras is a different section entirely:
Sec. 707.002. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE FOR CIVIL PENALTY. The governing body of a local authority by ordinance may implement a photographic traffic signal enforcement system and provide that the owner of a motor vehicle is liable to the local authority for a civil penalty if, while facing only a steady red signal displayed by an electrically operated traffic-control signal located in the local authority, the vehicle is operated in violation of the instructions of that traffic-control signal, as specified by Section 544.007(d).
Notice that this is only a civil penalty, not a crime/class C misdemeanor. Interesting aside, the city can't do much if you don't pay the fine, but they can refuse to register your car next time. See
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.707.htm#707.019and
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/TN/htm/TN.707.htm#707.017.
Here's the interesting part. They have to mail the owner of the vehicle, as shown on Texas DMV records, notice of the violation:
Sec. 707.011. NOTICE OF VIOLATION; CONTENTS. (a) The imposition of a civil penalty under this chapter is initiated by the mailing of a notice of violation to the owner of the motor vehicle against whom the local authority seeks to impose the civil penalty.
Here's what "owner" means:
(2) "Owner of a motor vehicle" means the owner of a motor vehicle as shown on the motor vehicle registration records of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles or the analogous department or agency of another state or country.
I don't have my registration papers with me at work, but I am pretty sure I am listed as the owner of the vehicle that I am leasing. This means, depending on who your registration papers say is the owner of the vehicle is, the city had to send
you the notice, not Nissan.
It gets better. EVEN IF Nissan owns the vehicle, it appears that they have to send your information to the city, which can then send you the required notice. Notice the use of "shall," which is legalese usually means there is no choice: (Fair warning: this is a clusterfuck of a statute):
(e) If, at the time of the violation alleged in the notice of violation, the motor vehicle depicted in the photograph or digital image taken by the photographic traffic signal enforcement system was owned by a person in the business of renting or leasing motor vehicles and the vehicle was being rented or leased to an individual, the owner of the motor vehicle shall provide to the local authority or the entity with which the local authority contracts under Section 707.003(a)(1) the name and address of the individual who was renting or leasing the motor vehicle depicted in the photograph or digital image and a statement of the period during which that individual was renting or leasing the vehicle. The owner shall provide the information required by this subsection not later than the 30th day after the date the notice of violation is received. If the owner provides the required information, it is presumed that the individual renting or leasing the motor vehicle committed the violation alleged in the notice of violation and the local authority or contractor may send a notice of violation to that individual at the address provided by the owner of the motor vehicle.
I think you have two possible arguments here. One is that you didn't do anything against the law. The other is that Nissan F'ed up and can't just do what they are trying to do. The problem here is that Nissan has possibly blown your chance to fight this ticket with the city. If you care about fighting this I would start by checking with the city to make sure that you were actually issued a ticket by the camera. If you can verify that, talk to the clerk of the court and try to explain what happened. They are usually pretty helpful, especially if you explain that you aren't a lawyer and are trying to figure that out on your own. That person might have a good insight on what to do. Unfortunately every city can have a slightly different procedure for low-level stuff like this, so I can't help you there. (Plus I don't practice traffic law, so I don't have the experience).
Your other option would be to higher a traffic court lawyer who knows your area and will therefore have a good relationship with the court. He may be able to get your case "opened" back up and get it dismissed. Then of course you still have to deal with Nissan.