March 23, 2015 - If you find you have an outstanding Houston traffic warrant, you may be anxious and dismayed. After all, the majority of people who end up with outstanding traffic warrants are not deliberately trying to break the law, therefore the very thought of being arrested on a traffic warrant can be extremely stressful. In some cases, people are completely unaware they have an outstanding warrant. Perhaps you were stopped for speeding some months ago. You received a traffic citation which offered you a choice of either paying the fine or going to court to plead your case. You went home, put the ticket in a drawer and intended to do something about it, “next week.” Well, next week came and went and you forgot all about the ticket. Then perhaps you went in to renew your driver’s license and were told you could not do so because of the outstanding warrant.
Even worse, maybe you were stopped for an unrelated matter. The police officer ran your license and next thing you knew, handcuffs were being snapped on and you were loaded in the back of a police cruiser. Obviously, there are few things worse than the embarrassment of an arrest. If you happen to be at work or at home with your family when the police serve the warrant, then the embarrassment multiplies exponentially. If you are aware there is a traffic warrant with your name on it, now could be the time to take steps to ensure you never have to go through the humiliation of an arrest. Right around the corner is the 2015 Great Texas Warrant Roundup.
About the Houston Warrant Roundup
This year's roundup commenced on January 07, 2015. The first phase of the Roundup MAY be an amnesty phase which allows all those with outstanding warrants to come in and pay the $50 warrant fee as well as to pay the fines and fees associated with the original traffic ticket. During this period the city of Houston collects between $2.5 and $3 million from those who flock in to pay up and avoid an arrest. During the enforcement phase, police personnel are actively serving arrest warrants and taking people to jail. Of course you want to avoid this at all costs, but it is important to know that there is a better way.
How to Deal With Your Houston Traffic Warrant—Without Paying Your Fines
Perhaps a better option is to go to your local courthouse, post a bond, then take care of your tickets. While it is unlikely you will be arrested while waiting to pay your fines, it could happen. Be aware that you may be facing additional charges such as a Failure to Appear charge in addition to your original tickets and the warrant. You may even be charged a collection fee which can be as much as 30% of your original fine. Unless you are allowed to set up a payment plan, you will be forced to pay all your fees and fines at this time in order to remove the threat of arrest. As an alternative, you could have a Houston traffic warrant lawyer from Sullo & Sullo post a bond on your behalf.
At that point, you will no longer have to worry about being arrested, and you will have time to discuss options with your Houston warrant roundup lawyer. The attorneys of Sullo & Sullo have extensive experience with traffic warrants, as well as with the underlying traffic tickets. The goal will be to resolve your issues in a way that will not add any points to your driving record. Points are added to your driving record as soon as you pay a fine—the courts consider payment a “guilty” plea, therefore you receive a conviction and receive points. When you accrue six or more points within a 12-month period, you could be facing life without a driver’s license.
Don’t Wait—Call a Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney Today
Additionally, your insurance company may raise your rates to the point they become unaffordable. In some cases, your insurance company may drop you altogether—also resulting in your being unable to drive, possibly even to work. As you can see, there are many more negative repercussions associated with paying your ticket than with allowing a Sullo & Sullo traffic ticket attorney to post a bond for you, then negotiate an acceptable agreement regarding your ticket. Don’t wait—the 2015 Houston Warrant Roundup is upon us, and you don’t want to end up being arrested for your outstanding traffic warrant. If you received your ticket in any of the following jurisdictions, a skilled Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney can assist you—call today!
· Houston Municipal Court
· Jersey Village Municipal Court
· Sugarland Municipal Court
· Stafford Municipal Court
· Missouri City Municipal Court
· Pasadena Municipal Court
· City of South Houston Municipal Court
· Baytown Municipal Court
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 1, Judge Gorczynski
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2, Judge Patronella
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Place 1, Judge Parrott
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 1, Judge Adams
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2, Judge Lawrence
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 1, Judge Ridgway
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2, Judge Williams
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 7, Place 2, Judge Burney
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 8, Place 1, Judge Williamson
Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 8, Place 2, Judge Ditta