Warrant For Your Arrest? A Former Prosecutor Tells You What To Do! (2022)

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Did a detective come to your house? Did you receive a phone call from a detective? You found out you have a warrant for your arrest – what can you do now?

Let's examine a few options you have if you learn you have a warrant for your arrest:

You could handle the warrant on your own - how would this work? You would need to call the police department and determine the warrant number and the bond amount. You would then need to locate an honest and reliable bondsman that can help you schedule a time to turn yourself in to jail.

If you find yourself facing a warrant in the North Texas area, you would want to turn yourself in to the county jail facility. We recommend turning yourself in early in the morning - 5am or 6am. By doing this, you will ensure that you are seen by a magistrate judge the same day so that a bond can be set.

One of the most frustrating aspects of turning yourself into jail is the time it takes to be released. If you process in through the Tarrant County or Dallas County jail, it is not uncommon that it can take 24-72 hours to be released from custody. It is important to know this before you turn yourself in so that you can plan accordingly.

A second option would be to hire a criminal attorney to assist you - what can a criminal lawyer do? The first step for a criminal attorney would be to contact the detective who issued the warrant and have a determination if the warrant can be recalled. There are rare instances where evidence of innocence can be provided to a detective and a warrant may be recalled. If this is not an option, your attorney can obtain the warrant information and recommended bond amount and help you schedule a time to turn yourself in.

Depending upon the crime, you may be eligible for a walk-through or waiver of magistrate. In Texas, you are required to turn yourself in on an active criminal warrant unless your attorney is able to obtain a waiver of magistrate. Essentially, a waiver of magistrate allows someone to perform a walk through at the jail where they are never arrested and booked in at the jail. Instead, you meet at the jail, fill out some paperwork, and you are released.

Alternatively, you could work with a criminal attorney that is also eligible to post an attorney bond. Under Texas criminal law, a criminal defense attorney that has surety through a county can post a bond for their client. At The Hampton Law Firm, we provide attorney bonds for clients in Fort Worth and Tarrant County, Texas.

Finally, how does the book in and book out process in jail work? As mentioned earlier, it takes 24-72 hours to bond out of jail in most cases. However, depending upon the severity of the crime, the judge may require you to have restrictive bond conditions. One of the most common questions we receive from clients is whether the bond conditions can be changed or amended? That is always a possibility but the only way for that to happen is to have a criminal lawyer file a motion to modify bond conditions and request a hearing to have a ruling on the request. At the hearing, your lawyer can present evidence establishing the bond conditions are unreasonable and possibly receive a modification.

For example: many Texas counties will place a bond condition that the defendant is not permitted to leave the county they were charged in. What if you live in another state? What if you must travel back and forth for job reasons? This is a good example of where you criminal attorney can file a motion to modify the bond conditions and amend your conditions to allow for travel.

Finally, how long until your criminal court date? This process can take anywhere from a week to a year before you receive a court date. However, it does not mean that work is not being done behind the scene by the district attorney's office on your case. It is critical to work with an experienced and aggressive criminal lawyer to ensure that your rights are being protected and ensure a way to have your criminal case dismissed.

00:00 What To Do If You Have A Warrant For Your Arrest
00:58 How To Manage The Situation On Your Own
02:06 Best Time To Turn Yourself In
03:16 How Long Does It Take To Get Out Of Jail?
04:08 How Can A Criminal Attorney Help?
04:55 Waiver Of Magistrate
06:00 How Long Does The Book in & Book Out Process Take?
07:05 How Long Does It Take To Get Your Court Date?