Living in Texas with an outstanding arrest warrant can feel like life with a ticking time bomb — every moment is filled with the dread of police showing up at your door, at work, or stopping you on the side of the road. That anxiety alone is enough to keep anyone awake at night.
But here’s what you need to know: having a warrant doesn’t mean you’re out of options. In fact, taking the right steps quickly can often resolve the situation without spending a single night in jail. The key is understanding your specific situation and making smart decisions, not rash ones that could make everything worse.
Here’s what to do if you have a warrant for your arrest:
- Don’t panic and don’t run
- Find out exactly what type of warrant you have
- Gather all relevant documents
- Contact an experienced attorney immediately
- Work with your lawyer to turn yourself in safely
- Prepare for the possibility of bail
If you’re facing a warrant in Texas, don’t roll the dice with your future. Mark Thiessen and the team at Thiessen Law Firm know exactly how to handle warrant situations, and we’re standing by, ready to fight for you. Call us today at (713) 864-9000 — because the longer you wait, the worse it gets.
What happens when a warrant is issued for your arrest?
In general, a warrant is issued when a person skips out on a court date or a court-mandated penalty like a fine, community service, or parole check-in. But here’s what many people don’t realize: not all warrants are created equal. What happens next depends heavily on whether it’s an arrest warrant or a bench warrant:
- An arrest warrant will be issued for your arrest because a crime has been committed with strong legal reasoning that you are the person responsible. With an arrest warrant, law enforcement will actively pursue you. They may show up at your home, your workplace, or anywhere they think they can find you. This type of warrant means you’re considered a fugitive from justice, and they’re not going to wait for you to turn yourself in.
- Though a bench warrant is less severe than an arrest warrant, it could still result in an arrest if you aren’t careful. Bench warrants are issued by judges in both civil and criminal cases when a defendant misses their court date or does not comply with a legal order. They are also issued for things like missed child support payments, failure to appear at jury duty, or failure to pay a traffic ticket.
Unlike a standard arrest warrant, police might not actively search for you in order to fulfill a bench warrant. That said, if you are stopped by an officer for any reason, this hidden warrant may be discovered, and they can and will arrest you. Things will then need to get straightened out in court.
The bottom line? Whether it’s an arrest warrant or a bench warrant, both can land you in handcuffs — it’s just a matter of when and how.
Learn more: Can the police search your house without a warrant?
What is the best thing to do if you have a warrant?
1. Don’t panic and don’t run
Before you do anything else, the simplest thing to do is to verify that you actually do have a warrant out for your arrest. Go to the Harris County Sheriff’s website and search for your name in their warrant database. If you do see your name, don’t panic. Stay calm, accept the situation at hand, and move forward.
Running from a warrant is one of the worst decisions you can make. Not only does it guarantee you’ll eventually be caught, but it can also result in additional charges for evading arrest. Remember, officers can conduct search and seizure operations at your home, workplace, or anywhere they believe you might be hiding. The stress of constantly looking over your shoulder isn’t worth it — face the problem head-on instead.
2. Find out exactly what type of warrant you have
Understanding whether you’re dealing with a bench warrant for a missed court date or an arrest warrant for something more serious, like an aggravated assault charge or conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, will determine your next steps.
The type of warrant affects everything from how aggressively police will pursue you to how long you might stay in jail. A warrant for an unpaid parking ticket is worlds different from a warrant for, say, criminally negligent homicide. Your attorney needs to know exactly what you’re facing to develop the right strategy for your defense.
3. Gather all relevant documents
Collect every piece of paperwork related to your case — court notices, receipts, correspondence, anything that might be relevant. If you’re wondering how to take care of a warrant effectively, having organized documentation is helpful for your attorney to understand the full picture and potentially resolve the matter more quickly.
This documentation can help establish timelines, show good faith efforts to comply, or reveal procedural errors that might work in your favor. Don’t assume any document is unimportant — let your lawyer make that determination.
4. Contact an experienced attorney immediately
Depending on the nature of your offense, enlisting an attorney and confronting your warrant head-on will most likely make your situation much less painful. Your attorney can help negotiate bail, organize the surrender process, and smooth out the entire procedure.
A skilled Houston criminal defense lawyer knows the local courts, prosecutors, and procedures inside and out. They can often arrange for you to surrender during business hours rather than being arrested at 2 AM, and they’ll be there to protect your rights from the moment you’re taken into custody.
More importantly, your attorney can help fight your charges. Once you’re out, your attorney can immediately begin building a defense strategy to fight any outstanding charges and work toward getting them reduced or dismissed entirely.
5. Work with your lawyer to turn yourself in safely
If you are responding to a simple bench warrant, your attorney might be able to arrange for a quick payout of the outstanding fine or perhaps appear before a judge without any arrest whatsoever. Of course, all of this depends on your case.
Having your lawyer coordinate the surrender process means you won’t be sitting in jail, wondering when someone will come get you out. They can time it strategically, have bail ready, and ensure you’re not caught off-guard by unexpected conditions like being fitted with a SCRAM bracelet for alcohol monitoring.
6. Prepare for the possibility of bail
How long do you stay in jail for a warrant in Texas? That depends largely on whether you can post bail and how quickly your case can be resolved. Having your finances in order and a bail plan ready can mean the difference between spending one night in jail versus weeks waiting for a hearing.
But all in all, having a lawyer on hand is always the way to go to make the entire procedure easier. Your attorney can often have bail arrangements ready before you even turn yourself in, minimizing your time behind bars and getting you back to your life as quickly as possible. And remember — dealing with the warrant is just the first step. Your attorney will also be ready to aggressively fight any underlying charges once you’re released, working to protect your future and get you the best possible outcome.
Can a warrant be dropped in Texas?
The short answer: absolutely. A warrant isn’t a conviction, and it doesn’t mean you’re out of options. Warrants get dropped in Texas all the time, and for a variety of reasons, including when:
- The warrant wasn’t issued properly, or there were mistakes in the paperwork
- There wasn’t sufficient evidence to establish probable cause
- Too much time has passed
- They were minor offenses, or there were mitigating circumstances
- Your rights were violated during the investigation or arrest process
The fact is, there are dozens of ways to attack a warrant, and a good lawyer knows them all. At Thiessen Law Firm, we’ve secured thousands of dismissals for our clients facing all kinds of charges. At the end of the day, the state has to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and we’re experts at creating that doubt.
Need to handle a warrant and fight your charges in Houston? Thiessen Law Firm is here for you.
If you know that you have a warrant in Harris County, don’t keep running away from your problem. Call Mark Thiessen and take back ownership of your life.
Mark and his team know the Harris County justice system inside and out and can use their expertise to help you know exactly what to do if you have a warrant for your arrest. We’ve helped neighbors beat charges ranging from drug cases, assault, DWI, and intoxication manslaughter, and we can use the same courtroom strategies to help you. We’ll work to minimize your time in custody, negotiate favorable bail terms, and immediately begin building a defense strategy to fight any underlying charges.
Call Thiessen Law Firm today at (713) 864-9000 or contact us online — because when your freedom is on the line, you need attorneys who know how to fight and win.
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- 5 Defenses Against Intoxication Manslaughter in Texas
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia First Offense in Texas Explained
- What Does “I Plead the Fifth” Mean?
