It is scary to find out that a judge has issued a warrant for your arrest. Remember that an arrest warrant is not a conviction, and you are innocent until proven guilty. The list of dos and don’ts is the same whether the judge issued the warrant because law enforcement officers suspect you of a crime or because you did not attend a scheduled court appearance. The latter kind of warrant is called a bench warrant. Your case can still go in any of various directions, and a Texas criminal defense lawyer at the Law Office of Patrick J. McLain, PLLC, can help you get acquitted or get your charges dropped.
Step One: Contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer
You have the right to have a criminal defense lawyer represent you at any stage of a criminal prosecution or investigation. Your first step after finding out that there is a warrant for your arrest in Texas is to contact a criminal defense lawyer. Your lawyer can help you understand your rights and advise you about the best ways to get a favorable outcome in your case.
Step Two: Strategize About Bail and Defenses
Acknowledge that, in the near future, you will have to make eye contact with a judge in a courtroom, and when you do, it is the beginning, not the end. Your short-term goal is to get released after your court appearance, with or without posting bail. Your lawyer can negotiate with prosecutors for a bail agreement, and it bodes well for your case if you are proactive enough to take this step.
You and your lawyer should also start discussing defenses you might use in your case. If you need to borrow bail money, make arrangements to do this.
Step Three: Appear Before the Judge
As scary as it can be to go to court when an arrest warrant is out for you, you cannot afford to skip this step. If you have prepared well for your court date, then there will be no surprises. You can pay your bail, leave the courtroom, breathe a sigh of relief, and move forward with building your case.
Step Four: Beef Up Your Defenses
If you are pleading not guilty, you should put together the best possible defenses. This can include summoning witnesses and filing motions to exclude pieces of evidence that were obtained in violation of your rights.
What Not to Do
What you do in response to your arrest warrant can make your case better or worse. Do not attempt to flee because you will probably get caught, and when you do, the consequences will be worse than if you had turned yourself in. Do not destroy evidence by deleting possibly incriminating computer files or throwing away items that could be relevant to your case.
Contact the Law Office of Patrick J. McLain, PLLC, About Criminal Defense Cases
You should hire a Dallas criminal defense lawyer if there is a warrant for your arrest. Contact the Law Office of Patrick J. McLain, PLLC, in Dallas, Texas, to discuss your case.