March 03, 2015 - If you are familiar with the Great Houston, Texas Warrant Roundup, then you likely are aware the 2015 Houston Warrant Roundup is just around the corner. This year's Houston Warrant Roundup is slated to commence on March 7, 2015. If you have reason to believe your name is on the Houston warrant roundup list, you are likely anxious and stressed. After all, having silver bracelets snapped on and being loaded in the back of a police cruiser probably ranks near the top of things that terrify most people. You, like hundreds of thousands of others across the state of Texas, may decide to write out a check as the most expedient means of alleviating the stress of your outstanding warrant.
You may wonder, however, whether you could actually be arrested while you are standing in line at the courthouse, waiting to pay your ticket. Or, you may need to go to the courthouse for a different matter, and wonder the same thing—while you are waiting, could you your outstanding warrant be executed? What if you need to renew your driver’s license, but worry you could be arrested once the computer pulls up your outstanding warrant?
In the main, few people are arrested unless they are stopped on another matter or are in a roadblock where the police run drivers’ licenses. But, during Phase Two (the enforcement phase) of the Great Houston, Texas Warrant Roundup, police officers will be out in full force with their only goal being to arrest those who failed to come in during Phase One—the amnesty phase—and take care of their tickets. This means a police officer could come to your home, to your place of work, to your school, or anywhere you might be. Further, a special license plate recognition program can accurately identify those with outstanding warrants. The electronic device can read hundreds of license plates a minute, immediately identifying those with warrants. In other words, law enforcement agencies will be very aggressive in identifying those with outstanding warrants and making the necessary arrests during the enforcement phase of the Roundup.
An Alternative to Paying Old Traffic Tickets
You should be aware that there is a much better alternative to paying your past due traffic citations. When you write a check for your old traffic tickets, you are pleading guilty and will receive a conviction for the offense. This conviction will add points to your driving record, and when you have accrued sufficient points, you could actually lose your license for a period of time. The alternative to paying your tickets is to speak to a Houston warrant roundup lawyer from Sullo & Sullo who can post a Houston Traffic bond on your behalf, allowing you some time to determine the best course of action. Once the threat of arrest is out of the equation, you can discuss with your Houston traffic ticket lawyer how to proceed. Your Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney may be able to negotiate an agreement which will prevent points from being added to your driving record. This could be in the form of a dismissal, deferred adjudication or a defensive driving course in lieu of a guilty plea. Whatever you and your Houston Warrant Roundup Lawyer decide, it is almost always better to discuss your options prior to paying your past due tickets.
What to Do if You Are Arrested
If you are arrested before you have a chance to do anything about your outstanding warrant, remember the following:
· Call a Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup Lawyer at the first possible opportunity;
· Don’t resist arrest;
· Take your Miranda Rights seriously—don’t talk to anyone, especially a police officer. Give your name and address, then ask for an attorney. Don’t think that by talking to the officer he will feel sympathy for you and let you go home. This never happens.
· Don’t be rude or belligerent, and mentally prepare yourself for the humiliating process of being fingerprinted and photographed. Remind yourself it will be over soon and that your attorney is on the way.
· Don’t talk to others while you are in a holding cell waiting for your Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney to arrive.
If you have an outstanding warrant, take the 2015 Great Houston, Texas Warrant Roundup very seriously. Call a Sullo & Sullo Houston traffic ticket lawyer as soon as possible to minimize the potential damage to your future.