March 15, 2016 - Will you be a part of the upcoming 2016 Great Texas Warrant Roundup? If you are, that would mean there is a warrant in the state of Texas with your name on it, which could trigger an arrest at the most inconvenient time or place. Obviously, this is not something anyone would be happy about, so we hope your name is not on that list. If it is, however, now is the time to be proactive, taking decisive action about the warrant and the underlying traffic citations. Yes, a traffic citation does have the ability to trigger very serious consequences, despite the fact that most of us consider a traffic ticket nothing more than an annoyance.
If you believe your name will be on the warrant list during the 2016 Roundup, what should you do? Well, the very first thing you should do is to immediately pick up the phone and call an experienced Houston Sullo & Sullo traffic bond attorney. We have been helping people just like you, for many, many years. The Roundup is about to go into its tenth year. In the beginning, approximately 250 jurisdictions across the state of Texas participated in the Roundup, however the numbers are now at 300 or more.
Your Options if Your Name is on a Houston Warrant List
You may have no doubt your name is on the Houston warrant list, or, perhaps you truly have no idea. The primary manner in which your name could be placed on that list is if you received a traffic citation which you intended to pay, or intended to appear in court to defend. You intended to do one of those things, yet somehow your life got very busy, and you forgot all about the citation. In this case an alias warrant would have been issued. Generally speaking, police departments are far too busy to spend time arresting every citizen with a traffic warrant. During the Roundup, however, the primary focus is crossing names off that list.
The enforcement phase of the Texas Warrant Roundup began on March 05, 2016. Police officers will not take it lightly if you have neglected to take care of your warrant and tickets. You could actually have handcuffs snapped on, get to take a ride in a police cruiser, and end up behind bars. Seems hard to believe, right? The threat of that scenario will send a large number of those whose names are on the warrant list rushing down to the courthouse to write a very large check. Be aware, however, that once you hand over that check, you have effectively pled guilty and received a conviction for the “crime.”
It is important not to take this lightly because it is “only” a traffic citation. While probably only a Class 3 misdemeanor, the conviction will still be added to your criminal record, and you will garner points which will be placed on your driving record. Once you have accumulated sufficient points, you could actually lose your license for a period of time. Your insurance company might drop your coverage, or, at the very least, will raise your rates to the point they may become unaffordable. Any potential employer or landlord has the right to look at both your driving record and criminal history, and could make employment or housing issues based on that information.
Alternatives to Paying Your Tickets
A much better alternative is to allow a Sullo & Sullo attorney to post a bond on your behalf to remove the threat of arrest. Your attorney can then look at your original traffic citations, devising the best course of action. Our knowledgeable attorneys could negotiate for deferred adjudication, obtain a sentence of traffic school, or potentially have the charges dropped altogether. If you are interested in pursuing a better, less expensive alternative to just paying your old tickets, call Sullo & Sullo today—we can assist those who received their ticket in any of the following jurisdictions:
· 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
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Place 1
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 1
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Place 2
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 1
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5, Place 2
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 7, Place 2
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 8, Place 1
· Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 8, Place 2