Addison Ticket Lawyer

The Beltz Law Group: Strategic Warrant Resolution in Addison, Texas

Outstanding warrants in Addison? Don’t panic. Protect your driving privileges and record.

Contact us today: 214-321-4105

If you have outstanding warrants for traffic tickets or other Class C misdemeanors in Addison Municipal Court, your immediate concern is likely the threat of arrest. However, the key to handling a warrant properly is avoiding the “big mistake” – panicking and making a rushed decision that can cause long-term harm.

You need to think strategically about two critical objectives: (1) getting the warrant lifted to avoid arrest, and (2) protecting your ability to drive legally by ensuring your driving record remains clean and your privileges aren’t suspended. This article will walk you through why professional legal assistance is indispensable for achieving both goals in Addison Municipal Court. If you would like to discuss your case with our experienced team of Addison Traffic Ticket Attorneys after reading this article, feel free to contact us today.

You’re Going to Need Professional Help with Your Warrants

Addison Ticket Defense Lawyer

Many Texans are proud and self-reliant, sometimes to a fault. We’ve seen numerous individuals dig themselves into deeper legal holes due to simple pride or a mistaken belief that they can handle warrants on their own. The most dangerous “knee-jerk reaction” to the threat of arrest is to simply walk down to Addison Municipal Court and pay off your tickets.

Here’s why paying off tickets without proper legal intervention is a critical error:

• Payments Equal Convictions: The law is clear. As per Article 27.14(c) of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, when a case has gone into warrant, payment to the court for a fine-only misdemeanor constitutes a finding of guilty. This means your payment is treated as an admission of guilt, just as if you were found guilty in court.
• Convictions Reported to DPS: Once guilt is established, Addison Municipal Court is legally required to report that conviction to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
• DPS Makes Your Life Difficult: While the Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) and its surcharges were abolished in Texas on September 1, 2019, DPS can still make your life very difficult by:
  • Suspending your driver’s license: Accumulating too many moving violations (e.g., four or more in 12 months, or seven or more in 24 months) can lead to license suspension.
  • Increasing your insurance rates: Convictions on your driving record will almost certainly cause your auto insurance premiums to skyrocket for years.
  • Requiring SR-22 insurance: For certain serious violations or suspensions, you may be forced to purchase expensive high-risk SR-22 insurance.

The only real way to get a warrant lifted and prevent it from negatively impacting your permanent driving record is to retain an experienced attorney.

Avoid Bail Bond Companies for Traffic Warrants

It’s important to clarify: when we say “retain an attorney,” we mean going directly to a lawyer, not a bail bond company. For traffic ticket warrants in Addison, bail bond companies should generally be avoided. They are often just middlemen; they may take your money, hire an attorney for you (often an attorney who gives them a large cut of the fee), and pocket the lion’s share of the profit. You might later find that the attorney they hired for you will ask for additional funds for representation, claiming they “were only paid to lift the warrant.” Avoid this “bait and switch” tactic and choose your lawyer directly so that all of your retainer goes to the attorney representing you.

What an Attorney Does After Lifting the Warrant

Once the warrant is properly lifted by an attorney, they can then attend hearings on your behalf in Addison Municipal Court. It’s important to understand that hiring a lawyer doesn’t automatically mean your case will be dismissed outright. Dismissals are always argued for in every case, but may not be possible based on the facts or court policy.

We respect our clients too much to make false promises. As experienced ticket attorneys in Addison, our job is to protect your driving record after the warrant is lifted. When outright dismissal isn’t achievable, it becomes our responsibility to advocate and negotiate on your behalf to secure the best possible result, such as a deferred disposition. A deferred disposition allows the case to be dismissed after you meet certain conditions, preventing the violation from being reported to DPS as a conviction.

Again, the key is ensuring that getting the warrant lifted and protecting your record go hand in hand. If you fail to do both, you could find yourself facing a suspended license, needing an occupational license to drive, or even charged with a more serious Class B misdemeanor for Driving While License Invalid (DWLI). Take the time to contact a legal professional today to get the job done right.