Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Help With Warrants In North Texas
Understanding How A Lawyer Can Help You During Warrant Roundup
The annual “Great Texas Warrant Roundup” is a significant event for law enforcement and courts across the state. While widely publicized periods, typically spanning from late February through April, mark heightened enforcement, it’s crucial to remember that an active arrest warrant for an outstanding traffic ticket means you can be arrested at any time. The primary objective of these roundups is to clear court dockets and compel individuals to address their ignored citations.
If you have outstanding traffic ticket warrants, understanding how to navigate this process is vital to protecting your freedom, driving record, and financial future. A skilled lawyer can be your most valuable asset during this stressful time. If you’d like to discuss your specific situation with an experienced attorney, contact The Beltz Law Group today at 214-321-4105.
The Perils of Going It Alone: Why Simply Paying Off Warrants Is a Risky Move
The most common mistake people make during a warrant roundup is rushing to pay off their old tickets directly with the court, often utilizing their income tax refunds. While this might seem like a quick solution to avoid arrest, it comes with severe and long-lasting negative consequences:
- Automatic Conviction on Your Record: Under Texas law (specifically, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 27.14), paying a fine for a traffic ticket that has gone into warrant status is treated as a plea of “guilty” or “nolo contendere” (no contest). This automatically results in a conviction being entered on your criminal and driving records. Once reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), these convictions are incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to remove.
- No Surcharges, But Still High Costs: While the Texas Driver Responsibility Program (which included state-imposed surcharges and the points system) was repealed on September 1, 2019, the financial impact of a conviction is still substantial.
- Skyrocketing Insurance Rates: Every conviction on your driving record signals higher risk to insurance companies, leading to significantly increased auto insurance premiums for years. The amount you pay in higher premiums can easily dwarf the original ticket fine or a lawyer’s fee.
- Potential DPS License Suspensions: Even without the “points” system, the DPS can still impose a separate driver’s license suspension if you accumulate too many moving violation convictions within certain timeframes (e.g., 4 or more moving violations in 12 months, or 7 or more in 24 months). You could clear your warrant by paying, only to receive a suspension notice from the state later.
- Loss of All Rights and Opportunities: When you simply pay the ticket, you waive your right to contest the citation, negotiate for a lesser offense, or pursue options that could lead to a dismissal and keep the conviction off your record. You lose any leverage to protect your driving privileges.
Beltz Law Group
How a Lawyer Can Help You During Warrant Roundup: A Strategic Approach
Hiring an experienced traffic ticket lawyer provides a comprehensive, strategic approach to resolving your warrants, designed to protect your interests beyond just avoiding immediate arrest.
Here’s how our team at The Beltz Law Group can assist you:
- Immediate Warrant Removal (Without Arrest): The first priority is to remove the threat of arrest. Your attorney will file an appearance bond with the court(s) where your warrants are active. This crucial legal document formally guarantees your legal representation and gets your case back on the court’s active docket. Critically, filing this bond immediately lifts the warrant, removing the risk of being pulled over and taken to jail. This is done without you having to appear in person or admitting guilt upfront.
- Clearing OMNIBASE Holds: Many outstanding traffic tickets that go into warrant also result in an OMNIBASE hold on your driver’s license, preventing you from renewing it. Your attorney will ensure the required administrative OMNI fee is paid (currently $10 per reported offense for violations reported on or after January 1, 2020; it was $30 for earlier violations). This action prompts the court to notify the DPS to release the hold, allowing you to renew your license once the underlying case is resolved.
- Court Representation on Your Behalf: Once the warrant is lifted and the case is active again, your attorney will attend court dates for you. This means you don’t have to miss work or personal time, and you benefit from expert legal representation navigating the court system.
- Protecting Your Driving Record: This is where a lawyer’s expertise truly shines. Our primary goal is to resolve the underlying traffic tickets in a way that does NOT result in a conviction on your permanent driving record. This can involve:
- Negotiating for Deferred Disposition: This allows the case to be dismissed after a probationary period (e.g., no new tickets for a set time, payment of court costs), keeping the offense off your record.
- Requesting Defensive Driving: For eligible offenses, completing an approved defensive driving course can lead to a dismissal.
- Seeking outright Dismissals: Identifying legal or procedural deficiencies in the citation or court process that could lead to a full dismissal of the case.
This multi-faceted approach ensures that you not only get your warrants lifted but also safeguard your driving record from harmful convictions, which can save you thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums and prevent future driver’s license suspensions.
Don’t Wait – Act Now to Protect Your Future
Warrant Roundup season is a serious reminder to address outstanding traffic tickets. Trying to navigate this complex legal landscape alone can lead to unintended and severe consequences. Investing in legal representation is often a smart financial decision that prevents greater long-term costs.
If you have outstanding traffic ticket warrants in Dallas or elsewhere in North Texas, contact The Beltz Law Group today. Let our experienced lawyers help you understand your options, lift your warrants safely, and work diligently to protect your driving record. Call us at 214-321-4105 for a confidential consultation.
