Understanding Warrants
The two most common types of warrants issued by a Municipal Court judge are:
- Warrant List
- Capias Pro Fine
Arrest Warrant
An Arrest Warrant is a written order (Writ) issued by a judge after a sworn complaint or affidavit of probable cause is filed with the court. The warrant directs a Peace Officer to arrest the defendant, who may then be held in custody and possibly placed in jail.
Bail
A defendant may post bail to secure release from jail and ensure court appearance.
Cause For an Arrest Warrant
An Arrest Warrant is issued if no appearance is made within 11 calendar days or if a court date is missed. A "Failure to Appear" charge will be added to the original charges.
Capias Pro Fine
A Capias Pro Fine is a written order (Writ) issued by a judge after a defendant has entered a plea and failed to pay fines and court costs. The order directs a Peace Officer to arrest the defendant. Bail cannot be posted for release, and the defendant may remain in jail until fines and costs are paid or satisfied through time served.
Fee
A $50 fee is added to the total balance of fines and costs when a case enters warrant status, whether by Arrest Warrant or Capias Pro Fine.
Collections
Outstanding warrants are submitted to Vigilant, a collection agency, via a secure FTP site. The Texas DMV then places a scofflaw hold on vehicles registered to defendants with active warrants. Once a warrant is cleared, the hold is removed through the collection agency, with updates processed by the DMV weekly on Wednesdays.
Failure to Appear Program
All warrants are reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Failure to Appear program. Once submitted, a defendant is ineligible to renew a State Driver’s License until the case is fully resolved. A $10 court cost is added to the case.