Thursday, February 23, 2012

How to Find Out if You Have an Arrest Warrant

Suppose you received a traffic ticket some time back and fully intended to pay it or go to court and plead your innocence. Then you got busy, time passed, and suddenly you wake up one morning with a sick feeling as you realize there could be a City of Houston warrant with your name on it. At this point you may be anxious and stressed, unable to stop thinking about the Houston police showing up at your place of work snapping handcuffs on you and leading you out past your co-workers and even your boss. At a bare minimum, an arrest warrant in Houston can be a very unpleasant surprise with far-reaching repercussions. This is one instance where it’s much better to find out where you stand and deal with it before it becomes a bigger problem. So—how do you discreetly find out whether there is a City of Houston warrant for your arrest, then deal with it in the most expeditious manner possible?

Determining Whether a Warrant Exists
You can, of course, simply go down to the courthouse, stand in line then ask straight out if there is a warrant with your name on it. While this might seem to be the most straightforward way of approaching the issue, this solution is not recommended. Theoretically, you could be arrested as you are taking out your checkbook to pay your fines. While not likely, it is a possibility. You could be allowed to pay your fines, effectively removing the threat of arrest. Unfortunately, by paying your fines you will now have a conviction on your driving record which brings further consequences.

You could ask any police officer to perform a warrant search but you will be subject to the same potential factors as you are when you go to the courthouse. You could go online and check one of the several online public records databases, which is much easier and eliminates the threat of arrest. Of course you could also choose to simply do nothing and hope for the best, but this choice leaves you constantly stressed about the possibility of an arrest. Remember—the police don’t care where they arrest you or how much embarrassment it causes you. It is much better to actually know where you stand rather than constantly worrying about it.

You’ve Determined a Warrant Exists—Now What?
Suppose you have used one of the above methods to determine whether or not there is a Houston warrant for your arrest—and found there is—what will you do next? What you don’t want to do is to rush down and pay your fines, thinking it will now all be over and done with. While it’s true that Harris County law enforcement wants you to believe this is your only option, in fact, it’s not. Paying your past due tickets will result in a conviction on your driving record that will follow you for a long time to come. This conviction adds points to your driving record—two points for most moving violations and three for a moving violation that resulted in an accident.

These points can add up quickly, and should you exceed six points within thirty-six months you can find yourself very surprised to be hit with surcharges from the state of Texas that can run into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars and require you to pay each year for three years or more. Aside from the expense, a conviction on your driving record—and the resulting points—can cause your insurance rates to skyrocket, could threaten the status of your Texas driving license, and can even have a negative impact on your employment.

Hiring an Attorney
The best choice by far once you’ve found there is a City of Houston warrant for you is to consult a Houston traffic ticket attorney regarding the warrant and the underlying traffic tickets. Your chosen attorney can post a bond on your behalf, effectively removing the threat of arrest then the two of you can sit down together and determine the best course of action regarding your original ticket. The goal of your attorney will be to minimize the long-term damage of paying the tickets and receiving a conviction. Your attorney may be able to plead out the original traffic offense, saving your record from extra points. It’s important to consult an attorney quickly if you have any inkling there is a warrant in Houston for your arrest so the matter can be resolved as quickly and quietly as possible, leaving you with the least amount of lasting consequences.

Author: Sullo & Sullo Attorneys

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