Texas Arrest Warrants

A judge in Texas issues arrest warrants for a variety of reasons. A warrant for your arrest may be issued if you:

  • There are new charges pending against you.
  • You have committed a probation misdemeanor.
  • You failed to appear at a mandatory court date.
  • You did not complete a mandatory Driver Safety Course or community service order.
  • You refused to pay a fine assessed by the judge or defaulted on a payment arrangement like child support.

Police must have reasonable evidence demonstrating probable cause in order to issue a warrant. When a warrant is issued, a $50 charge is assessed and the information is recorded into a regional database. You should receive notification via mail or phone call, but you may hear from family members or friends who were contacted by police authorities while you were away.

If you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest, police officers may arrest you at your home, school, workplace, or during a traffic check. It is preferable to surrender before being arrested in this manner, but there are actions you may do to make this event less stressful and more likely to end in your favor.

Where to Conduct a Texas Warrant Search

Do you want to know if you have an arrest warrant? There are numerous locations where a public warrant search can be conducted:

You can also go to the sheriff’s office to find out if you have a warrant, but be prepared to get arrested right there! At best, they will establish a court date and then release you. Running from the law is also not advised, unless you enjoy police brutality, having your family hounded and embarrassed, or receiving harsher terms.

Should You Turn Yourself in If You Have An Arrest Warrant?

So, according to a Texas warrant search, there is an arrest warrant in your name. What are you going to do?!

First and foremost, ALWAYS consult with a criminal defense attorney. Attorneys are bound by a code of confidentiality, and they are not permitted to testify against you or turn you over to the authorities if you do not want them to. Instead, we will investigate the case against you, assist you in understanding the gravity of the charges, give you legal assistance, and assist you in dealing with the stress of the situation.

Working with a lawyer has the following advantages:

  • Avoiding making potentially incriminating remarks to police.
  • Obtaining early representation in the event that you are forced to appear in court.
  • Discovering the charges, your bail amount, court dates, and other pertinent information about your case.
  • Increasing your chances of receiving a reasonable bond and giving you more time to collect bail money.
  • Assisting you in posting a bond and obtaining witnesses to testify on your behalf.
    Plan when, when, and how you will be arrested and taken into police custody.
  • Negotiating a lesser bail or total bail rejection.

Before you go in, your attorney may be able to help you deal with a bond agency to arrange your release. A bail bondsman may perform a “warrant walk-through,” which is a pre-approved bond and pre-filled paperwork that releases you from custody immediately.

Consider when you want to appear in front of police enforcement and a judge. If you arrive at the wrong moment, you may end up spending a few more days in jail. In general, the best days to turn yourself in are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Mondays are busy as personnel complete weekend arrest processing. On Fridays, judges, and magistrates are usually gone by the end of the day.

It is also crucial to consider how you promote yourself. You want to be comfortable while still looking presentable. You’ll need a clean shirt, jeans, and slip-on shoes at the very least. Bring cash or credit cards, as well as a photo ID, if bail is required. Avoid bringing in “contraband” items such as utility knives, cigarettes, belts, shoelaces, or drawstrings, as these will almost certainly be confiscated. You may bring reading glasses and medication, but you should check with the county jail ahead of time to learn about their medical rules. Make a list of crucial numbers and leave your cell phone at home.

Remember that you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say in court can and will be used against you. You have the right to be represented by an attorney at all times.

Types of Warrants in Texas

In Texas, you may be issued one of the following warrants depending on the nature of your crime:

Class A Warrant Texas

There are hundreds of offenses that can result in a Class A warrant, which is punished by up to a year in prison and a $4,000 fine. In Texas, common causes include high BAC or repeat DWIs, assault inflicting bodily harm, domestic violence, dangerous drug possession, motor vehicle theft, and possession of a deadly weapon.

Class B Warrant Texas

Class B offenses can result in up to 180 days in prison and a $2,000 fine. Class B warrants can be issued for theft ($50-$500), marijuana possession (under two ounces), or DWI (under .15 BAC). Class B warrants can be issued for criminal trespassing, avoiding arrest, harassment, possession of a controlled substance, indecent exposure, prostitution, and driving with a suspended license.

Class C Warrant Texas

The majority of Texas traffic tickets (excluding parking) are classified as Class C Misdemeanors, punishable by fines of up to $500. For failing to appear, other Class C warrants may be issued. Typically, you will not be sentenced to jail, but an officer may detain you for a night at his or her discretion if you have a third underage drinking conviction or outstanding criminal warrants on your record.

Dallas County Warrants – The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office at 1512 E. Langdon Road in Dallas, TX 75241 is the main law enforcement agency in Dallas County. These sheriff deputies have jurisdiction over all 33 cities in Dallas County. What makes a Dallas County warrant significant is that it never expires.

What happens if you do have a warrant out for your arrest?

The best thing to do is find out why the person has a warrant. Usually, it will be for something small like unpaid tickets. The person with the warrant should gather enough money to pay whatever they owe to the police. Then they should contact the police department and turn themselves in. It is much better for an individual to turn themselves in than have a police officer forcibly bring them to jail.

Texas arrest warrants should not be ignored. An individual that has a warrant out for their arrest is in a bad position with the law. They will be judged more harshly in any encounter with law enforcement. Anyone who has any Texas arrest warrants should turn themselves in as soon as possible.

Texas Arrest Warrants Can Be Devastating

Do you know what a Texas arrest warrant is? An arrest warrant is issued when you do not appear in court for any reason. It can be issued for a variety of reasons including failure to pay a traffic fine, failure to complete community service, or for any other legal reason where you are required to appear in court.

When the police believe you have committed a crime and they have enough evidence to prove it, they will apply to the court, to issue a warrant against you.

What to Do If you have a Texas Arrest Warrant?

If you believe you have a warrant for your arrest issued, it is not something you should ignore. Even if you didn’t do anything, it’s something you need to handle.

If the police arrest you, then you will be required to go to court, and it will go on your record. It will show up as you being arrested involuntarily.

If you go to court because the police arrested you, the court will already be against you. This will count against you even if you don’t know that there is an arrest warrant out for you.

Arrest Warrants are nothing to fool With

If you think there is an arrest warrant out for you, you’re better off giving yourself up voluntarily. You will be treated much better by the court system and will offer better bail options.

You can check to see if you have pending warrants by looking for services that allow you to check online. This will give you the “heads up” so to speak, and let you avoid having any serious legal problems.

Don’t wait till you are arrested to find out that you have a pending warrant for your arrest. Find out if there is one out for you, then contact the authorities and find out what you need to do to get it taken off your record. When you turn yourself in voluntarily, law enforcement officials are more willing to help you.

Additional Resources:

  1. Law Dictionary, How To Know If You Have Warrants In Texas, https://thelawdictionary.org/article/how-to-know-if-you-have-warrants-in-texas/
  2. How to Check for Warrants in Texas https://bestlawyer.guide/texas-warrant-search/
  3. Texas Warrant Roundup, Dallas County Arrest Warrant, and Court Records Search, https://texaswarrantroundup.org/dallas-county-arrest-warrants-search.html

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