Perhaps you are aware of the upcoming Great Texas Warrant Roundup of 2014, but think you have no cause for concern. Few people are aware that the failure to pay the fine for even a minor traffic infraction, or to appear in court for the same, can put your name on the list of those Houston police officers will be looking for this March. While an official date has not yet been announced, typically the enforcement phase of the annual Texas Warrant Roundup begins during the first or second week of March. This follows what is known as an amnesty or grace period for two to three weeks during which, ostensibly, all those with outstanding warrants can remove their name from the list by pulling out their checkbook.
The City of Houston will be most appreciative if you do just that, however this may not be the best solution to your problem. While relatively minor on the surface, pleading guilty to a Class C misdemeanor such as a traffic violation can have far-reaching consequences. Whether you are aware that your name is on the outstanding warrant list or are unpleasantly shocked to find out, you are likely also anxious about your current situation. Before rushing down to pay your fines and fees, consider the benefits you could receive from speaking to a knowledgeable Houston traffic bond lawyer.
Avoiding the Possibility of an Embarrassing Arrest
For the past eight years law enforcement agencies across the state of Texas kick off a massive, coordinated effort to clear the thousands of outstanding warrants from their books. At any given time there are literally hundreds of thousands of outstanding warrants across the state and in the City of Houston alone, there may be 300,000 outstanding warrants during any given month. Typically, thousands of Houston residents are arrested during the Warrant Roundup and the City of Houston has brought in two to three million dollars in revenues. Once the enforcement phase of the Harris County Warrant Roundup is in full swing, you can expect to see law enforcement out in full force, methodically crossing names off their warrant list.
Alternatives to Paying Your Tickets
At this point, don’t expect compassion—you could be arrested while at work, in your home, while taking your children to school, at the grocery store or during a routine traffic stop. If the thought of finding yourself in handcuffs, being placed in a police cruiser fills you with dread and apprehension, then pick up the phone and call a skilled Houston Traffic Warrant Attorney today. You can post a cash bond on your own, post a surety bond through a bonding company, or you can post a surety bond through an attorney who can then help you with the defense of your case once the bond is posted. Your Houston traffic bond lawyer will post a bond on your behalf, immediately removing the threat of arrest, then will discuss possible options with you regarding dealing with your underlying tickets. Your Houston Warrant Roundup Attorney may be able to negotiate a deferred adjudication or defensive driving course in lieu of a guilty plea on your part, saving you the inevitable points on your driving record which come with such a plea.
Capias or Alias Warrant?
It is most likely that you have an alias warrant against you which occurs when you did not enter a plea and failed to appear in court as required. If you were supposed to appear in court and did not, you will probably have an alias warrant against you as well as Failure to Appear charges, which is an additional issue. A capias warrant is issued when you fail to appear following a misdemeanor conviction, fail to make payments as agreed upon, or when you refuse to testify as ordered; therefore the vast majority of the outstanding warrants are alias warrants. We believe there is a better solution to your problem than simply paying your fines and we want to help you avoid the unpleasant consequences such a conviction will bring. We are able to help those in 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
Rather than waiting until the Texas Warrant Roundup is in full-swing, contact an experienced Houston warrant roundup lawyer today for a comprehensive evaluation of your individual case.