March 13, 2015 - It’s that time of year again—time for the 2015 Great Houston Warrant Roundup. The Houston Warrant Roundup is now in its ninth year, and it is expected that as many as 300 Texas agencies will participate this year, including Houston and surrounding areas. According to Houston officials, during any given month there can be upwards of 300,000 outstanding warrants across the city. Due to a shortage of police manpower, the city can’t spend the necessary time each month tracking down every person with an outstanding warrant, particularly if the warrant is traffic-related. But this is not to say that you might not be arrested at any time if you have an outstanding warrant.
Who wants a potential arrest hanging over their head, making them feel anxious and stressed out? The Great Houston Warrant Roundup allows the city of Houston to not only cross off a great deal of the outstanding warrants, but also to bring in a financial windfall--$2.5 to $3 million to be precise. More than four thousand people who have not only ignored their outstanding warrant, but who ignore the Houston Warrant Roundup as well, are arrested during this event each year. Of course you may be like many people and have no idea there is a warrant with your name on it. You are likely a fairly law-abiding citizen who simply forgot to pay a traffic ticket or failed to appear in court regarding that ticket. You may have forgotten about the entire incident, but rest assured, the city of Houston has not.
The 2015 Great Houston Warrant Roundup Has Begun!
This year's Houston Warrant Roundup usually commenced on March 7, 2015. The city SOMETIMES gives all those with outstanding warrants a grace or amnesty period of two to three weeks. The city hopes you will just open your wallet or checkbook and take care of your outstanding ticket, thereby lifting the warrant as well. While this might be the easiest route to getting rid of the warrant, it is by no means the best.
During the Harris County Warrant Roundup, if you pay your ticket, you have effectively pled “guilty” to the original charge. This will result in a “conviction” for the crime, which in turn results in points being added to your driving record. When you have accrued sufficient points, you could lose your license for a specific period of time, you could be assessed a yearly surcharge as high as $1,000, and you could find your insurance rates skyrocket. With sufficient points, you could even find yourself unable to obtain automobile insurance, making it illegal for you to drive at all.
You Have Alternatives to Paying Your City of Houston Traffic Ticket
It’s important to know that you have alternatives. Perhaps the best alternative is to take a deep breath, then pick up the phone and call a Sullo & Sullo Houston traffic ticket lawyer. Your experienced Houston traffic warrant lawyer can assess your particular circumstances, post a bond on your behalf, remove the threat of arrest, and give you some breathing room. You will then be able to listen to the options laid out by your Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup attorney, and determine your best course of action.
Call a Sullo & Sullo Houston Traffic Ticket Attorney
For the majority of people with outstanding traffic warrants, the best course of action is to have your Houston traffic ticket attorney post a bond for you, then deal with the underlying traffic violation. Your Sullo & Sullo attorney may be able to negotiate for deferred adjudication, a defensive driving course, or may be able to have the original ticket dismissed altogether. No matter how many months ago you received your traffic violation, don’t assume the 2015 Great Houston Warrant Roundup will not affect you.
If you are tired of past tickets and outstanding warrants hanging over your head, and want to avoid the embarrassment of an arrest, a Sullo & Sullo Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney can help. We will work out a solution to your original ticket with a goal of solving your problems in the most expedient, least expensive manner possible if you received your 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, 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