Traffic tickets stink. What’s worse, failing to appear in court for a traffic ticket will likely lead to an additional Failure to Appear citation and fine. And a warrant for your arrest.
What options do I have when my traffic ticket goes to warrant status?
Well, it depends.
Capias pro fine warrants
If a capias pro fine warrant is issued, you don’t have much choice other than to pay the ticket. If you fail to pay the ticket, fees can accrue and you may be prevented from renewing your drivers license. A capias pro fine warrant will issue when there is a guilty judgment, a fine is assessed, and the fine goes unpaid. This is a common trap for those who choose to handle tickets themselves. They show up, plead guilty, agree to pay a fine, and then never pay it. A Capias pro fine warrant is issued, and you’re without much recourse. Capias pro fine warrants are not bondable. Your only options are to pay the fine, or sit it out in jail (usually at a rate of $100 off your fine per day in jail.)
“Alias” Warrants (aka Regular Warrants)
But, suppose you just don’t appear on your scheduled court date, and that no guilty plea is entered. Now, an “alias” warrant will issue for your arrest. Luckily, these types of warrants can be handled by a lawyer, and can be resolved. A lawyer can post a bond on your behalf, guaranteeing that the lawyer will appear in court for you to handle the ticket. You are not required to appear in court for a traffic citation if you hire a lawyer. The ticket will be placed on the attorney docket, and will resume as it normally would (plus the FTA fine, of course.)
Commercial Driver’s License (CDL)
These are two of the many reasons why it is critical to speak to a lawyer when you receive a traffic ticket. If you have a commercial driver’s license, you really need a lawyer, as the usual deferred offer won’t be on the table. Instead, you need a clever lawyer who can figure out a way to keep the citation off your record (and keep you from losing points on your CDL.)
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