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Having an outstanding warrant for your arrest can be an alarming and daunting thing, understanding the process of resolving a warrant can help alleviate some of that anxiety. Here are some basic guidelines on how to handle an Outstanding Warrant in Texas:
- If a warrant has been issued for your arrest, you are typically required to turn yourself in to resolve the warrant. If you do not turn yourself in, you could be arrested anywhere at any time, no matter the offense, to resolve the warrant.
- Once you have turned yourself in, or been arrested for the warrant, it will be determined whether you will be given a bond and if you are, what the bond amount will be. Some warrants are issued with a recommended bond amount. This amount will likely be the bond you pay after you turn yourself in.
- For warrants issued without a recommended bond amount, you will go before a magistrate who sets a bond amount, this typically occurs the following morning. Without a recommended bond amount on your warrant, you will have to wait in jail until the morning before you can see a magistrate. There are no particular types of cases that require you to go before a magistrate; it can be for any warrant that was not issued with a recommended bond amount already set.
After you know what amount has been set on your bond, there are a few options you can take.
- You can pursue a cash bond which entails going through the jail to pay the full bond amount. Once your case is closed, the bond amount is refunded in full.
- Another option is to go through a bond company to bail you out of jail. A bond company will typically charge 10% to 12% of the bond and is a non-refundable fee.
- If you cannot afford to pay the bond or go through a bond company, you can wait out your time in jail until your case is resolved and possibly receive time served towards your case.
After you have been arrested for the accused offense, the court will set a hearing date for you to contest the charges against you. At this point you should hire a criminal defense attorney to guide and assist you in resolving your warrant and in your court proceedings. If you have questions about a warrant that has been issued for your arrest in Colin, Travis, Hays, Dallas, Tarrant, or Williamson County, you can visit us on Facebook for a free case evaluation with absolutely no obligation.
Helpful Links for Outstanding Warrants:
Travis County Warrant Search: https://public.co.travis.tx.us/wow/default.aspx
Austin Police Department Warrant List: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/warrants/warrantsearch.cfm
City of Fort Worth Warrants Online: http://www.fortworthgov.org/applications/warrantsonline/
Outstanding Warrants: Texas Government Code § 404.058
Texas Law Enforcement Agencies and Courts – Call for a Texas Warrant Search
Texas Criminal Law Information 