Did you find out that there’s an outstanding bench warrant in your name? What should you do? Make a run for it? Arrests are never easy, but stay put. We’ll tell you how to handle such warrants and explain your options, so that you are prepared for whatever comes your way.
What Is an Outstanding Bench Warrant?
There are three different kinds of warrants that a judge can issue. They include arrest, search, and bench warrants. The last one is issued when you miss an important court date for whatever reason. If that happens, the police can arrest you at any time and bring you to the judge. You will likely spend some time in jail first, waiting for the judge to schedule a hearing.
So what does an outstanding bench warrant mean? Outstanding, in this context, simply means that it’s been some time since the warrant was issued. Why haven’t you been arrested yet? There can be a couple of reasons. It can happen because the defendant is oblivious to the warrant, they’re evading law enforcement, or the police simply haven’t gotten around to arresting them yet.
Texas Warrant Roundup
Outstanding or not, if you’re aware of a warrant but you’re still not arrested — you can expect it during this time. The Texas Warrant Roundup happens every February or March. During this time, law enforcement agencies are on the lookout for people with outstanding warrants.
Unfortunately, if you get arrested during this time, you could end up paying higher fees. To prevent this from happening, prepare yourself well. Contact a bail bonds agency and your legal counselor.
Know Your Rights
Once a judge issues a bench warrant, it can seem like there’s no way back. While that might be true, there are still things you can do to help your case. There are two possible defenses for failure to appear in court. The first one is if the defendant was unable to appear in court due to probation, parole, or jail sentence in another case. The second one is a reasonable excuse.
However, the standard for a reasonable excuse is often high. Reasons that could be accepted include the inability to appear because of an accident, being in a hospital, the death of a loved one, etc. Not receiving a proper court date notice is also a valid reason, while forgetting or mixing the dates up is not.
Let A-EZ Out Bail Bonds Help
The consequences of not appearing in court can be grave. One of them is jail time. If this is what you’re anticipating, you should prepare yourself well. You might need to contact a bail bond company, and that’s where A-EZ Out Bail Bonds steps in.
Our experienced bail bond agents work tirelessly 24/7 to get you out of jail fast. So, if you find yourself in an unfavorable situation or anticipating arrest — contact us! We will make sure that you’re out of jail and with your loved ones as quickly as possible.