Last Updated on June 18, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Plano Lawyer For Warrants
Plano Traffic Ticket Warrants: Understanding the Risks and How an Attorney Can Help
Plano Municipal Court is known for its high volume of traffic ticket cases, and if your case goes into warrant status, swift and informed action is crucial. Ignoring an outstanding warrant in Plano can lead to serious consequences, including arrest.
This article is intended to provide comprehensive information for those facing warrants in Plano Municipal Court. If you would like to discuss your warrants with our experienced staff after reading this article, feel free to contact us at 214-321-4105.
How a Warrant is Issued in Plano Municipal Court
Many people mistakenly believe that warrants for traffic tickets in Plano are issued solely because of the ticket itself. However, this is not entirely accurate. It’s important to understand a key legal distinction:
- Traffic Tickets are Fine-Only Offenses: In Texas, most standard traffic violations (Class C misdemeanors) are “fine-only” offenses. This means that, as a punishment for the offense itself, a judge cannot sentence you to jail time. The maximum penalty is typically a fine plus court costs.
Lawyer For Warrants In Plano
So, if a judge cannot send you to jail for the traffic ticket itself, how can a warrant be issued for your arrest?
The reason a warrant is issued for traffic tickets in Plano Municipal Court is due to a failure to appear (FTA) or a failure to comply with a court order. When you receive a traffic ticket in Plano, you are provided with an appearance date. This date signifies that you are required to take action to resolve the matter by that specific deadline. This action could be:
- Appearing in court to enter a plea.
- Paying the fine (which is an admission of guilt).
- Requesting a driving safety course.
- Requesting deferred disposition.
- Hiring an attorney to represent you.
If you fail to take any action by the appearance date, or if you fail to comply with a subsequent court order (like completing a deferred disposition), the judge has the authority to issue a warrant for your arrest. This warrant is not for the original traffic offense itself, but for your failure to appear or comply with the court’s directives. Its sole purpose is to compel your appearance before the Court to address the outstanding matter.
The Dangers of Outstanding Warrants in Plano
Plano is an arresting agency. This means that law enforcement officers in Plano actively execute warrants. If you have an outstanding warrant:
- Risk of Arrest: You could be pulled over during a routine traffic stop, or even encountered in other situations (e.g., at your home, work, or during another interaction with law enforcement), and taken to jail on the spot.
- Increased Costs: When arrested on a warrant, you will incur additional fees, including bond fees, towing and impound fees for your vehicle, and potentially higher court costs.
- Driving Record Impact: A conviction resulting from an unresolved warrant can still lead to increased insurance rates and potential driver’s license suspension issues. While the old “points” and “surcharge” system has been repealed (effective September 1, 2019), multiple convictions can still lead to license suspension by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) if you accumulate four or more moving violations in 12 months, or seven or more in 24 months.
- Job Jeopardies: For individuals whose employment requires a valid driver’s license or a clean background check, an outstanding warrant or subsequent conviction can jeopardize their job security or future employment opportunities.
Plano Ticket Defense Lawyer
How an Attorney Can Help with Warrants in Plano
When you hire a lawyer for warrants in Plano, you are proactively working to avoid these pitfalls. An experienced attorney who understands the procedures of Plano Municipal Court can provide crucial assistance:
- Lifting the Warrant (Filing a “Bond”): The first critical step is to “lift” the warrant. Our attorneys can typically post an attorney bond on your behalf. This bond informs the court that you have retained legal counsel and that your case will now be properly addressed. Once an attorney bond is filed, the warrant is typically removed from the active arrest system, significantly reducing your risk of arrest.
- Negotiating Resolution: After the warrant is lifted, your attorney will then work to address the underlying traffic ticket(s). This involves negotiating with the Plano Municipal Court prosecutor to achieve the best possible outcome. This could include:
- Seeking Dismissals: If there are legal or factual defenses available.
- Deferred Disposition: This is often the preferred outcome. You would agree to certain conditions (e.g., paying court costs, no new tickets for a period), and upon successful completion, the case is dismissed, preventing a conviction on your record.
- Driver’s Safety Course: For eligible offenses.
- Saving Your Driving Privileges: By preventing convictions from appearing on your record, your attorney helps safeguard your driver’s license from suspension and keeps your insurance rates from increasing.
- No Court Appearance Required (Typically): In most cases, once you’ve hired an attorney, you will not need to appear in Plano Municipal Court yourself. Your lawyer handles all court appearances and legal processes on your behalf.
- Avoiding Costly Mistakes: Trying to handle warrants yourself often leads to compounding problems, higher fees, and unnecessary stress. An attorney can guide you through the process efficiently and effectively.
Don’t take chances with your record, your driving privileges, or your freedom when a warrant is issued for your arrest due to outstanding tickets in Plano Municipal Court.
To talk to Plano lawyers that lift warrants about your case, call The Beltz Law Group today at 214-321-4105.
