When you have an outstanding warrant for an old DUI case hanging over your head, it can be very difficult to feel like you can move forward. Your warrant may be from failing to pay the fines ordered in the case or simply failing to return to court to appear on the charges without ever being convicted. No matter how or why your warrant was issued, it is important for you to address it so you can truly move forward with your life. The Law Firm of Scott D. Henry, Riverside, San Bernadino and Orange County’s leading DUI defense law firm, can help you take care of your old warrant.
If you were sentenced after being convicted of a DUI, you were likely ordered to complete certain conditions, including the payment of fines for the offense. Failing to pay these fines can lead to a warrant being issued for your arrest. In many cases, the fine amounts will balloon because of civil assessments that are added over time for the cost of referring them to collections. The best way to handle this type of situation is to have the full amount, including the amount required to pay the civil assessments as well as the original fine. Your criminal defense attorney can then negotiate on your behalf to have the civil assessment portions waived, but it’s best to have the entire amount available just in case.
When you were initially charged and arrested, you were likely granted a bond and allowed to remain out of jail while your case was pending. Being released on bond is conditioned on your agreeing to appear in court to answer the charges against you. If you simply never went back, you likely have an outstanding warrant for your arrest.
Old warrants for drunk driving cases are normally lower on the priority list for most law enforcement agencies. Occasionally, however, they will conduct sweeps in which they round up people who have such warrants and put them in jail. It is better for you to take care of it without waiting for the hammer to drop on you. Your lawyer can work to get the warrant withdrawn and to schedule a time for you to appear in court to answer the charges. If he or she is successful, it is vitally important that you show up for the new scheduled date.
Just because you had a drunk driving arrest in another state doesn’t mean that it won’t come back to haunt you. Some people make the mistake of believing they can ignore an out-of-state case. If you have failed to appear on charges in another state, your license to drive in California is likely suspended. This can expose you to other criminal charges if you are pulled over by the cops. Out-of-state warrants must also be addressed. The best way to do so is to retain a lawyer who practices law in the jurisdiction where the original charges were filed.
Facing charges for drunk driving is a bad enough experience. When you later have a warrant hanging over your head from a previous drunk driving conviction or offense, it is important you get help in order to take care of it. You do not want to wait only to be arrested on the warrant at an inconvenient time in your life. You may also find it hard to get a job you want if you have an outstanding warrant on your criminal record. Contact the Law Firm of Scott D. Henry today to get started on taking care of your old driving under the influence warrant.
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