Our client retained us a week ago to assist him with representation on a significant felony charge of having drugs and a loaded weapon at the same time. Our client had significant defenses. On the date of his arraignment, literally on the first date of court, we were able to get his HS 11370.1 charges dismissed, along with the other felony and misdemeanor offenses.
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Our client Danny was charged with significant charges including assault with a deadly weapon, PC 245(a)(1) – a strike, PC 664/207(a), attempted kidnapping and PC 245(a(4) – assault with a deadly weapon with force likely to cause great bodily injury. Through successful negotiation involving the strength of the defense case as it relates to the offense, our office was able to have the charges reduced to misdemeanors and the client was subsequently released on summary probation with no significant record which would have affected his life. We understand that people make bad choices in life, however, once you are able to redeem yourself and mitigating factors come into play, we do believe that these factors are important in assessing what a case is worth in terms of punishment. As such, our client was able to be home with his family for the holidays and he was released from custody after facing such serious felony charges. At Kia Law Firm, we take criminal defense very seriously. If you have a question about the strength of your case, or would like a second opinion, please feel free to contact us.
CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES WHICH OUR CLIENT PLED TO
The initial consultation is one of the most extremely important meetings with your attorney. This is the opportunity for both the lawyer and client to establish the relationship and to have an open and honest discussion about the charges, possible defenses, witness issues and the facts of the case. The most important thing is to be prepared to have an open and honest discussion. Most criminal defense attorneys do not judge clients. We surely don’t. We have seen it all. However, honesty can sometimes make the difference between winning and losing a case. The second most important thing to expect at the initial consultation is establishing a working relationship between the client and the attorney. Here, at the Kia Law Firm, we believe that the relationship between us is a special one. We need to establish trust and confidence with each other. We want you to feel safe with our assessment and our strategic planning of your defense. You need to feel comfortable that we have taken over your problem and are helping you receive the goals you wish to desire. We trust that with a great working relationship with each other, we can move to dismiss or reduce charges and to do our work professionally and with expediency.
If you are facing criminal charges, call the Kia Law Firm at (855) 662-2723 or contact them online to schedule a free consultation.
Have you ever walked around all day with a big stain on your shirt or the remnants of lunch on your face, and you didn’t realize it? It can be pretty embarrassing once you find out, especially if you run into the wrong person along the way. If you have a warrant out for your arrest and have no knowledge of it, it can be more than just embarrassing. This is especially true if you run into the wrong person. A routine traffic stop by a police officer could result in your arrest, which could cost you money, jail time, and even your job.
If you fail to pay a fine or appear before a judge, the court will often issue a bench warrant. This does not mean that the police will come to your house to hunt you down and arrest you. However, if you get pulled over for any reason or you go to renew your driver’s license, then the police officer will run you through the system, and if there is a warrant for your arrest, then you will get booked.
If you discover that you have a warrant out for your arrest due to unpaid tickets, the first thing that you should do is pay what you owe. This will not automatically get rid of the warrant for your arrest, but it is a good first step.
It is much better for you to go willingly to the judge to plead your case rather than being brought in by the police. However, this is not recommended without taking a defense attorney with you. No matter how innocent you are and how truthful with the judge you are, many judges are predisposed not to trust people in your position. They have heard every excuse in the book, and this can work against you in this case.
Many people wonder, can you get a warrant for unpaid tickets? The short answer is yes, and ignoring it can make your situation significantly worse. If you already have a bench warrant in your name and you continue to avoid dealing with it, the consequences can quickly snowball beyond a simple fine. Here is what you could be facing:
Arrest
Law enforcement officers have the authority to arrest you during a routine traffic stop, at your home, or even at your place of work. You do not have to be doing anything wrong for this to happen. Simply being pulled over for a broken taillight could result in you being taken into custody on the spot if a warrant for an unpaid ticket is showing up in the system.
License and Registration Suspension
In most states, your driver’s license will likely be suspended if you have unresolved unpaid traffic violations, and you may also be blocked from renewing your vehicle registration. This means that every day you drive without resolving the issue, you are potentially compounding your legal problems.
Added Fees
A failure to pay a warrant does not freeze your debt; it grows it. Substantial late fees and failure-to-appear fines will be added on top of your original balance, making it far more expensive to resolve the longer you wait.
Collections
In some cases, the debt may be sent to a third-party collections agency. This can negatively impact your credit score and follow you around for years, affecting your ability to rent an apartment, get a loan, or even land certain jobs.
If you are asking yourself, can you have a warrant for unpaid tickets without knowing it? The answer is absolutely yes. Many people discover warrants only after being stopped by police. To determine whether an active warrant has been issued against you, take the following steps:
Check Online
Many local and state court websites provide a searchable database where you can look up your name, driver’s license number, or citation number. This is often the quickest way to get an initial answer.
Contact the Clerk of Courts
Call the clerk of the court or traffic court in the county or municipality where you originally received the ticket. They can confirm whether a warrant for unpaid traffic tickets has been issued and provide information about the total amount owed, including any penalties that have accrued.
Use State Databases
In some states, you can check your warrant status and driver’s license status through dedicated online portals. For example, Texas offers the Failure to Appear Program, which allows residents to look up outstanding warrants and, in some cases, resolve them online.
If you are trying to figure out what to do if you have a warrant for an unpaid ticket, it is important to understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to handle it. Here are your options:
Do Not Pay the Ticket Directly Online
This is a common mistake. Paying a ticket online usually functions as entering a guilty plea, and it often does not automatically recall a warrant or clear your Failure to Appear status. If you are wondering, if I pay my traffic ticket will my warrant go away? The answer is usually no, not without additional steps.
Consult an Attorney
This is strongly recommended if you have a bench warrant for an unpaid ticket. A traffic attorney can often appear in court on your behalf, file a motion to recall or quash the warrant, and help you avoid the risk of being arrested. At the Kia Law Firm, we handle these situations regularly and know exactly how to approach the court to get the best possible outcome for our clients.
Self-Surrender or Walk-Through
You can also choose to surrender yourself to the court or local law enforcement to clear the warrant. Many jurisdictions offer special warrant resolution campaigns that allow individuals to clear outstanding bench warrants without being booked into jail. Going in voluntarily always looks better than being brought in by the police.
Set a New Court Date
In some cases, you can contact the court clerk directly to see if the judge will allow you to post bail or schedule a new hearing to resolve the case without immediate arrest.
If you are unsure of what to do if you have a warrant for a traffic ticket, here is a clear, actionable plan to follow:
Can you get a warrant for unpaid parking tickets?
Yes, depending on the jurisdiction, repeated or ignored unpaid parking tickets can result in a bench warrant being issued against you, along with additional fines, registration holds, and potential license suspension.
Can you get a warrant for unpaid traffic tickets even if you forgot about them?
Absolutely. Courts do not require proof that you were aware of the ticket. If you failed to pay or appear, a bench warrant for an unpaid ticket can be issued regardless of your awareness.
What is a warrant for a speeding ticket, and how serious is it?
A warrant for a speeding ticket is a court order authorizing law enforcement to arrest you. It is treated as seriously as any other bench warrant and can result in arrest, fines, and a lasting mark on your driving record.
Can you have a warrant for unpaid tickets in another state?
Yes. Warrants issued in other states can still appear in national databases during a routine traffic stop, which means you can be arrested far from where the original ticket was issued.
What happens at a bench warrant hearing for an unpaid ticket?
At a bench warrant hearing, a judge will review your case, including any penalties owed. Having an attorney present can make a significant difference in the outcome, potentially reducing fines or helping you avoid jail time altogether.
Having a trusted attorney in your corner can be the difference between getting off with a slap on the wrist and facing larger fees and jail time. At the Kia Law Firm, we have the experience you need to get a bench warrant to go away and have it expunged from your record. If you have a bench warrant in your name, don’t wait to get arrested by the police to take care of it. Give us a call and let us help you. To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call (855) 662-2723 today.
When you get charged with a crime, a judge determines what your punishment will be. Whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony offense, your case will be brought before the judge who will decide whether or not to be lenient and give you the minimum punishment or levy the heaviest punishment allowable. The judge gets to decide whether you receive probation, jail time, a fine, or if the case will be dismissed and you walk away with no repercussions.
Most would assume that when your case goes before a judge, you would have to be present. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. According to California Penal Code 9(a), there are certain times when the defendant does not have to appear before a judge. Instead, an attorney can appear in place of the defendant. This does not apply to every situation, so it is important to know when this code applies to you. Here are three things you should know about Penal Code 977(a).
Penal Code 977(a) applies to most, but not all, misdemeanors. However, if you are being charged with a felony offense, your attorney cannot appear in your place. It is still a good idea to have your attorney with you, but you will have to appear before the judge for your arraignment and plea, as well as the preliminary hearing and sentencing. If you are facing a trial and there is evidence or testimony being presented before a jury, you are required to be there for that portion of the process as well.
There are exceptions to every rule, and Penal Code 977(a) has two. If the misdemeanor is related to domestic abuse, then you will still need to be present for the arraignment and sentencing. In addition, if a protective order is issued, the defendant must be present for that as well.
In DUI cases, the defendant may be required to appear before the court at any or all of the following: the arraignment, the plea, and sentencing. This depends on the judge and the case.
When facing a misdemeanor charge where you may or may not need to appear before the judge, you will have to rely heavily on your attorney. Experienced attorneys know which judges will likely require defendants to appear and which ones won’t. That’s why it is so important to have an attorney that you can trust.
At the Kia Law Firm, we have experience in criminal law and we now the personalties and tendencies of the judges in the Oklahoma City area. We can help walk through the process and advise you when you need to appear and when we can take care of the process for you. To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call (855) 662-2723 today.
A car accident can ruin your week. Besides the potential physical injuries that you can sustain, being involved in a collision is a pain. It costs you time and often money, plus there is the headache of having to deal with the insurance company, the adjuster, a rental car, and the repair shop. However, if you are on probation at the time of the accident, this can complicate matters even more. So what can you do to protect yourself in the case of an accident while you are on probation?
One of the worst things you can do if you get into an accident is to panic and flee the scene. This can take you from being the victim or receiving a minor traffic violation to a much more serious offense. No matter how worried you are about the implications on your probation, a hit and run can only make it worse. Stay calm and stay put.
If the police come to the scene, then this would be considered contact with the police, which means that you need to report the incident to your parole officer. Being involved in a car wreck in and of itself is not a violation of parole. If you were doing something illegal at the time, or breaking the rules of your parole agreement, then that could be an issue. But it is better to be forthcoming and report the contact with the police rather than your parole officer finding out by other means.
A car wreck is not a violation of your parole, but certain traffic tickets might be considered a violation. It is obviously best to avoid a ticket if you can, and admitting that the accident was your fault could cost you more than a small traffic fine.
If you are on parole and find yourself in a traffic accident, the first call you should make is to your lawyer. At the Kia Law Firm, we have the experience in criminal law to assist you with any potential probation violations and will do anything in our power to keep you out of jail. Before you do anything else, give us a call. To schedule a free consultation, contact us today online or call (855) 662-2723.
