Although no official date has yet been announced for the Great Texas Warrant Roundup, the time is fast approaching. Typically, the “enforcement” period of the Texas Warrant Roundup is set during the first or second week of March. There is generally a “grace” period—also known as Phase One or the amnesty period—during which those with outstanding warrants will be given the opportunity to pay up, effectively removing their names from the list of active warrants. This grace period is observed during the two weeks preceding the enforcement phase, therefore will likely be starting around the third week of February, 2014.
What is the 2014 Texas Warrant Roundup?
Scores of law enforcement agencies across the state of Texas will be out in full force, apprehending or “rounding up,” all those Texans who have overlooked their misdemeanor citations for far too long. The Great Texas Warrant Roundup can be likened to a kind of “America’s Most Wanted,” for those Texans with overlooked, unheeded or downright flouted misdemeanor tickets. Any misdemeanor traffic, parking or city ordinance violations against those who neglected to appear before a judge or pay their fines and fees will become a part of the Great Texas Warrant Roundup of 2014.
About the Great Texas Warrant Roundup
The Texas Warrant Roundup is now in its 8th year. In 2012, more than 250 Texas agencies and courts participated in the Roundup, and in 2013, the numbers of participating agencies and courts was expected to exceed 300. Across the state of Texas, by the end of a typical Warrant Roundup, thousands of offenders will have suffered the embarrassment of an arrest, paying millions of dollars in court fees and fines. During the 2012 Harris County Warrant Roundup, the Houston police department arrested 4,110 people for these outstanding warrants, collecting $2.5 million the same year. Because not every person with an outstanding warrant is aware of that fact, the city will send out notices through the mail. Police officers will also be sent to place notices on
Even so, due to those people who moved and left no forwarding address, it is virtually impossible to ensure notification of every single person with an outstanding warrant. What you can be sure of is that once the Warrant Roundup is in full swing, police officers who are working their way through the list of offenders will not care where they find you—at home spending the evening with your family, at work in front of your boss and co-workers, or in your car as you are coming from the grocery store. If you know you have an outstanding warrant, or, after reading this are starting to wonder whether you could be on the list, there are several issues to consider.
Should You Pay Those Outstanding Tickets?
Of course the City of Houston and other surrounding areas would like nothing better than for every person with an outstanding warrant to line up and pay up. If your name is on the warrant list, you may also think this course of action is the most prudent. After all, who wants to risk the embarrassment of being arrested at the most inopportune time? Before you pull out your checkbook, you should know that in some instances there are better ways to resolve the situation. Speaking to an experienced Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney allows you to stop worrying about an arrest, while handling past tickets in the best way for your future. A qualified Houston Warrant Roundup Lawyer will research your record in order to find out if there is a warrant with your name on it which could potentially cause you problems during the Roundup. The primary goal of our attorneys will be to get rid of the threat of arrest, then minimize the long-term effects of your traffic tickets or other misdemeanor violations. Simply paying your tickets will place these infractions on your driving record which could lead to a number of negative consequences including expensive surcharges from the state of Texas, a significant increase in your insurance premiums and the loss of your Texas driver’s license in the event your total points exceeds a specific level.
Which Jurisdictions Can We Help?
Our Housotn Warrant Roundup Lawyers want to help those in Houston and surrounding areas remove your threat of arrest and help you resolve your outstanding tickets in the best way possible. If your warrant stems from any of the following jurisdictions, we can help.
· 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
Don’t wait until it is too late—contact a knowledgeable Houston Warrant Roundup Lawyer today.