What is a Capias Warrant?

The word “capias” means “that you take” in Latin, therefore a capias warrant is usually issued to compel someone to do take a specific action. Capias warrants are issued by civil courts, therefore they are apart from a criminal arrest warrant, however make no mistake—you can wind up in jail as a result of a Texas capias warrant. In some cases people who owe the court money based on a prior court judgment but neglected to pay could have a capias warrant issued for them, or someone who fails to appear for a civil hearing could end up with their name on a capias warrant. The ultimate goal of a capias warrant is to force someone to comply with a court order. Certain jurisdictions also use capias warrants in the case of persons who failed to pay their traffic citation or appear in court as promised, however this is generally after a plea has been entered while an alias warrant is used prior to a plea being entered.

How to Avoid a Capias Warrant
In order to avoid a capias warrant you must always comply with court orders, pay your fines promptly or appear in court as promised. There is a problem with simply paying your traffic fines, however. Once you pay your traffic fines, you receive a conviction on your driving record. Each conviction brings points along with it—generally two points for any moving violation such as speeding, driving with an expired registration or inspection sticker or running a stop light or stop sign. You will be given three points for any moving violation which resulted in an accident.

Should you accrue six points on your driving record within a three-year period, you will be subject to surcharges assessed by the State of Texas which can climb into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars and require you to pay the yearly fee for three years or more. The points on your driving record can result in escalating insurance rates or even a cancellation of your auto insurance altogether. You could also see employment repercussions as a result of the convictions and points on your record, so even though you want to avoid a warrant, pleading guilty or paying your tickets is not always the best way to accomplish that.

How Can a Conviction on Your Driving Record or a Criminal Record Of Arrest Affect You?

While many of us tend to be fairly laid-back regarding traffic violation offenses, the truth is these relatively minor infractions of the law can cause you significant levels of grief down the road. This is the way your traffic ticket generally evolves over time: You see the flashing lights in your rearview mirror and are filled with dismay to realize you are being pulled over by a city of Houston police officer. Perhaps you were exceeding the posted speed limit, slid through a stop sign, forgot to renew your inspection or registration sticker, or you committed any number of other relatively minor traffic infractions. You signed the ticket and returned home, fully intending to either pay the fine or appear before a City of Houston judge to plead your case. Then—as so often happens in our busy lives—you forgot to pay your fine or appear in court and next thing you know there is a city of Houston warrant for your arrest. Suddenly that relatively harmless traffic ticket has turned into a very serious issue.

Should You Pay Your Tickets and Fines?
Of course your first instinct is to simply rush down to the court and pay your fines or mail in a check and hope for the best. While either of these solutions will probably take care of the City of Houston arrest warrant with your name on it, they will also leave you with repercussions which could follow you for years and years to come. First of all, once you pay your Houston traffic ticket you have effectively pled guilty to the original offense, and you now have a conviction on your permanent driving record. The problem with those convictions on your driving record lies primarily in the points which go along with each conviction.

In the state of Texas, a moving violation such as running a stop light, neglecting to have a current sticker, speeding or any number of other traffic offenses will garner you two points on your Texas driving record. A moving violation which caused injuries to another will place three points on your driving record. Once these points add up to more than six, you could have some significant problems to deal with. First of all, you could end up having your driver’s license suspended due to the number of points on your driving record which can be a real problem when you depend on your vehicle to get you to work, school or any number of other places you regularly go.

How to Beat a Traffic Ticket in Court

In most cases it is more advantageous for you to go to court and challenge your traffic ticket than to simply write out a check and pay your fines. While paying the fines for your traffic tickets may seem like the path of least resistance, that one action can have many unexpected repercussions down the line. There are a few tips that you can remember should you ever need to beat a traffic ticket in Houston and they begin with your attitude toward the police officer when you are stopped.

Don’t Admit Guilt—and Remain Polite
While it may make you feel better to express your indignation or anger, it will rarely help you out. Be polite and cooperative and you just might get a ticket for a less costly offense, or even just a warning. If you insist on being nasty, the officer may make note of it, and the prosecutor will be less likely to consider a deal when you appear in court. Avoid any admission of guilt and stifle the impulse to make excuses or create unbelievable stories about why you were speeding or committing any other traffic offense.

Dealing With the Police Officer
One thing you may want to do is politely ask the police officer how you can pay your ticket through the mail—even if you have no intention of doing so. This gives the officer the idea that you are unlikely to go to court to plead your innocence and he or she may take fewer notes. Then when you challenge the ticket the officer is at a disadvantage due to the sparse nature of his notes and recollection.

You could also go the alternate route and ask the police officer an entire litany of questions—politely, of course. You could ask where the officer was positioned and what type of radar detection device he or she used. Ask for as many details as possible, down to the serial number of the device, and make a note of the officer’s license plate and badge number. While this won’t make you particularly popular with the officer, it may give you an edge when you get to court, and in some instances the officer may not even show up, meaning your ticket will be dismissed.

How to Find Out if You Have an Arrest Warrant

Suppose you received a traffic ticket some time back and fully intended to pay it or go to court and plead your innocence. Then you got busy, time passed, and suddenly you wake up one morning with a sick feeling as you realize there could be a City of Houston warrant with your name on it. At this point you may be anxious and stressed, unable to stop thinking about the Houston police showing up at your place of work snapping handcuffs on you and leading you out past your co-workers and even your boss. At a bare minimum, an arrest warrant in Houston can be a very unpleasant surprise with far-reaching repercussions. This is one instance where it’s much better to find out where you stand and deal with it before it becomes a bigger problem. So—how do you discreetly find out whether there is a City of Houston warrant for your arrest, then deal with it in the most expeditious manner possible?

Determining Whether a Warrant Exists
You can, of course, simply go down to the courthouse, stand in line then ask straight out if there is a warrant with your name on it. While this might seem to be the most straightforward way of approaching the issue, this solution is not recommended. Theoretically, you could be arrested as you are taking out your checkbook to pay your fines. While not likely, it is a possibility. You could be allowed to pay your fines, effectively removing the threat of arrest. Unfortunately, by paying your fines you will now have a conviction on your driving record which brings further consequences.

You could ask any police officer to perform a warrant search but you will be subject to the same potential factors as you are when you go to the courthouse. You could go online and check one of the several online public records databases, which is much easier and eliminates the threat of arrest. Of course you could also choose to simply do nothing and hope for the best, but this choice leaves you constantly stressed about the possibility of an arrest. Remember—the police don’t care where they arrest you or how much embarrassment it causes you. It is much better to actually know where you stand rather than constantly worrying about it.

How Failing to Appear Can Turn You into a Fugitive

Most of us would never imagine the word fugitive could apply to us simply because we forgot about a traffic ticket. Unfortunately, this is not the case. A missed court date, even if it is for a minor traffic infraction, can land you in plenty of trouble. Should you neglect to appear for your court date, a Houston arrest warrant will be issued for you, meaning the police have the right to arrest you at any time or any place. While it’s true that the police generally don’t have the time or resources to run around a huge city banging on doors in an attempt to arrest every person who has neglected a traffic ticket, they do have that option.

In fact, for a failure to appear on a relatively minor matter, the police may not even bother to go to your home—but don’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Suppose you are driving to work, or taking your child to school, and a police officer pulls you over because of a cracked taillight or some other minor infraction. Once he runs your license the Harris County arrest warrant will become evident and he will likely take you into custody. If there is no one with you your vehicle may be towed and impounded, or if you have children with you the situation can get even uglier. If you are unable to find someone to come and pick up your children they could possibly be taken by Children’s Protective Services until the matter is resolved.

Facing the Additional Charges
A Failure to Appear charge is considered a separate criminal offense from the original traffic offense which required your presence in court. If a City of Houston arrest warrant was issued for your failure to appear and you are aware of the warrant, hire an attorney immediately before you have made further mistakes. The attorney can post a Harris County traffic bond on your behalf, although you can also do this directly or go through a bail bondsman. If you take care of the warrant immediately, then you avoid being arrested while you are having dinner with your family or sitting at your desk at work. Once your Harris County bond has been posted, a new court date will be set—a court date that you absolutely must not miss. Some judges will be lenient on a first Failure to Appear, but they will not look so kindly on you when it happens a second time.

Little Understood Fact—Traffic Tickets are Criminal Cases

The United States is truly a nation that loves to drive, and Houston and the surrounding areas are certainly no exception. In fact, by most estimations as many as 89 percent of the adults in America own a car, using it to commute to work, run errands, go on vacation and taxi their children from place to place. Unfortunately, with all this driving comes the inevitable traffic ticket. If you misplace that ticket or simply forget to pay it on time you could find yourself hit with a Harris County arrest warrant wondering what on earth to do next. In determining whether you should post a bond in Houston or not, it is probably wise to consult an experienced attorney at this point.

Traffic Tickets a Billion Dollar Industry
Let’s face it—anybody with a driver’s license has made the occasional driving mistake resulting in literally millions of traffic tickets being issued each year in the United States.  Many people commit traffic violations without even realizing it—unfortunately the law does not accept ignorance of a traffic law as a valid excuse. Traffic tickets are intended to be a deterrent to driver mistakes due to the cost-if you’ve received a traffic ticket lately you were likely stunned by the amount owed since traffic tickets have evolved into a billion dollar industry.

Infractions vs. Violations
Whether you inadvertently or willfully committed the traffic violation remember that traffic tickets are considered criminal cases although there are varying levels of seriousness. Non-moving violations or moving violations which are considered non-dangerous fall in the category of infraction meaning the person committing such a violation cannot be jailed, receive an unreasonably large fine, have a jury trial or be entitled to a court-appointed attorney. Speeding tickets can garner a relatively large fine, depending on how many miles per hour beyond the posted speed limit you were driving.

In some cases speeding can be considered a form of reckless driving meaning it turns into a more serious moving violation. Other serious moving violations include running a stop light or stop sign which could potentially result in the injury of another person. Misdemeanor and felony traffic violations also include DUI, reckless driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop at an accident scene. If you’ve been charged with a more serious traffic infraction, you are entitled to all the normal rights afforded to criminal defendants.

The True Cost of Failing to Appear

If you believe that failing to appear on a traffic ticket may be a relatively harmless matter, you could be very unpleasantly surprised to find yourself under the cloud of a Houston arrest warrant. Of course it is much better for you if you actually know about the arrest warrant than if you are totally unaware of it. Although Houston police officers generally have much more serious issues to contend with than tracking down those who have neglected to pay a traffic ticket, they do have the option to find you wherever you may be (home, school, work) and arrest you immediately. Further, during Houston’s annual warrant roundup the police are actively looking for those who have neglected to pay their fines or show up in court as promised. To have police officers come into a person’s place of work and take them away in handcuffs would be a devastating experience for most all people.

When You’ve Been Charged with Failure to Appear
Suppose you received a ticket for a minor traffic infraction, put it into a drawer intending to pay the ticket or appear in court and contest it, then simply forgot about it. In our ever-increasingly busy lives, this is actually a fairly common scenario. Next thing you know there has been a Failure to Appear charge levied against you and a City of Houston arrest warrant issued. Although it is certainly reasonable that you would panic at this point and send in the money immediately, living in fear until the check cleared, you should be aware of the consequences of doing so. Remember that a Failure to Appear charge is a totally separate and new charge against you in addition to the original traffic charges.

Should you send in your money for the past due ticket, you must be aware that you have effectively pled “guilty” to the offense, and now have a conviction on your record—even though traffic issues seem minor, they are generally considered criminal cases. That conviction adds points to your driving record, increases your insurance rates, and can even be responsible for jeopardizing your current job or preventing you from obtaining a future job. Should you receive too many points on your driving record you could even face having your driver’s license suspended—a serious occurrence for most Americans.

Why You Should Never Ignore a Traffic Citation

Don’t let your busy life get in the way of taking care of a traffic citation or you could find yourself facing steep fines, additional charges and could even be arrested if you missed your original court date. Even if you feel the traffic ticket you received was not justified, ignoring the problem will not make it go away. There is a set court date which requires your presence, and missing that court date is seen as a serious offense by most judges.

If you become aware that you have missed your court date, contacting an experienced attorney immediately is your best course of action to prevent further negative consequences. Those consequences could include a Houston county arrest warrant being issued as well as significantly increased fines and a blot on your driving record. It is rarely a good idea to go into court without a criminal attorney by your side once a warrant has been issued. Although you may get lucky and land in front of a kind judge who will kindly help you solve your ticket problems, it is just as likely that you could be told to go home and come back with an attorney or, in rarer cases, be taken to jail.

Seek Legal Advice Before the Situation Worsens
If you have been charged with failure to appear and a Harris County arrest warrant issued for you, a Houston attorney may be able to have that warrant vacated, meaning you will be back to square one. You will be responsible for appearing in court and paying your original ticket fines but the good part is you will not be arrested and the warrant will be dismissed. Resolving the issue is always a better option than being arrested, possibly at your home or even at work in front of your co-workers and boss. If the attorney is unable to have your warrant vacated, then you must post a bond in Houston which is meant to ensure your appearance at your next court date.

Why You Shouldn’t Pay Old Tickets Simply to Avoid a Warrant—and What You Should Do Instead

If you’ve neglected to pay one or more Houston traffic citations, you may find yourself in the position of having a Harris county arrest warrant in your name. Whether you simply forgot about the ticket or deliberately neglected to take care of it because you didn’t feel you deserved the citation, the reality is that old tickets don’t simply go away because you forget about them. Eventually you will get caught, whether it is through a routine traffic stop, or during Houston’s annual warrant roundup.

While your first instinct may be to pay the tickets immediately to avoid the possibility of being arrested in your home or at work—or anywhere for that matter—there may be a better way to handle the situation.  If you are aware that a Houston arrest warrant has been issued for you, the smart thing to do is get it fixed while you still have at least a bit of leverage as well as more than one option to make the problem go away.

Options Other Than Paying Your Old Tickets
No matter which direction you choose to go regarding your past due traffic tickets and warrant for failure to appear, it is highly advised that you consult an experienced attorney in the area before you make your final decision. There may be many factors you are unaware of or had not considered that your attorney will be cognizant of, giving you a much better chance of a positive outcome.

1.  If you are aware there is a Houston arrest warrant with your name on it, hire an attorney immediately and discuss whether there is a possibility of the attorney having the warrant quashed, which means it is effectively cancelled and you no longer have to worry about being arrested. If this option is a possibility it can save you not only the humiliation of an arrest but the expense of additional fines as well as the possibility of a blot on your record. If your attorney is able to have the warrant quashed, then the court will set a new court date which you absolutely must show up for.

Could Houston’s Annual Warrant Roundup Affect You?

Every year the state of Texas holds a two-month long great warrant roundup and if you happen to be “asked” to participate in the roundup it is not nearly as much fun as it might sound. Those individuals who have neglected to pay a traffic ticket or other Class C misdemeanor ticket may find themselves actively pursued under a City of Houston arrest warrant. Just last March Houston began their annual warrant roundup clearing nearly 30,000 warrants, netting two and a half million dollars in outstanding fines and making over four thousand arrests.  These roundups are a significant source of revenue for Texas counties, however if your name is on the warrant list should you simply pay up? While the threat of being arrested at your home or place of work is frightening enough to cause you to immediately write out a check, in many cases it is much more advantageous to consult an experienced traffic attorney who can offer you some options.

Posting a Bond vs. Paying Your Tickets
If you know that you have an outstanding Houston arrest warrant you are probably in a better position than those who are unaware of the fact. Knowledge of the arrest warrant gives you time to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation such as being arrested in front of your boss and co-workers. Before the roundup officially kicks into gear, you have the option of posting a Harris county traffic bond which can give you some time to decide how you want to handle the situation. A Sugarland bond or Jersey Village bond can also be posted should you reside in those areas. Posting a bond is not difficult and can allow you and your attorney to decide whether you will ultimately pay your tickets and suffer the consequences or fight for a better end result such as deferred adjudication or a mandated defensive driving course. Simply paying your ticket can result in a variety of repercussions, none of them particularly good. You will accrue points on your driver’s license, be subject to higher insurance rates and in some cases your employment may even be affected.

City of Houston Municipal court Fine and Bond schedule

As of January 2010
 
Note: Fine amounts and costs are subject to change.
For fine amounts not listed, call 311 or (713) 837-0311
Telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) call 311 or (713) 247-8591
Also visit the city of Houston municipal court website at
WWW.HOUSTONCOURTS.ORG

SPEEDING VIOLATIONS

MPH Over Limit	Speeding in POSTED ZONE		Speeding in SCHOOL ZONE		Speeding in CONSTRUCTION ZONE (workers present)
1-5MPH		$170	$220		$235
6-9 MPH		$180	$235		$260
10-14 MPH		$200	$250		$295
15-19 MPH		$245	$270		$380
20-29 MPH		$265	$295		$430
30 MPH & Over		$300	$325		$500

MOVING VIOLATIONS (NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED)

VIOLATION	TOTAL WINDOW FINE
Running a Red Light or a Stop Sign	$230
Failure to Obey Must Turn Signal	$180
Change Lanes Not In Safety	$180
Driving at Night without Lights	$180
HOV Lane Violations	$170
No Registration/Receipt for Commercial Truck/Trailer	$155
Failure to Change Address on Driver’s License	$105
Defective Equipment Violations (non-commercial vehicle) (non-functioning/missing lights, brakes, mufflers, mirrors, etc.)	$130

Benefits to Hiring a Houston Attorney in Traffic Court

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After getting over the initial inconvenience (and perhaps injustice) of being pulled over and given a traffic citation, you then have to decide how you are going to handle your ticket. For those who do not have the time to go to court or research Texas traffic law, it is an easy choice: hand the ticket over to an attorney who specializes in violations in traffic court. Others, however, may feel that they can handle the traffic citation on their own. Besides, they may wonder, it’s only a minor traffic offense. How difficult and complicated could it be?

If your only concern is taking care of the ticket, then you can hand over your hard-earned money to the city of Houston. They will be happy to take your money from you any day of the week. You can mail in a payment and the ticket will be resolved with points going against your driving record. However, if you are not eager to give up your money to the city, care about your driving record, and want to get the best deal possible, it’s always a good idea to hire an attorney. Here are some of the top reasons why you should hire a Sullo and Sullo attorney to handle your traffic ticket.

1. Your attorney keeps you informed. One of the biggest benefits of having a Sullo and Sullo attorney with you in traffic court is that your attorney will keep you informed. For the ordinary law abiding/breaking citizen, traffic court often appears to be a mysterious milieu: attorneys are walking around the courtroom talking to different players; various defendants are approaching the bench at different times to speak to the judge; police officers are walking in and out of the courtroom signing mysterious sheets of paper; and bailiffs are yelling at everyone to lower their voices and follow courtroom rules. With an attorney by your side, you can remain confident that you know the rules of the court, how your case is being handled, and how the day will unravel. You will look around and see many frustrated faces, and some dazed and confused faces. But you can sit back and relax, knowing that your attorney has just informed you of all the ins and outs of courtroom procedure and protocol.

2. Your attorney knows what gets a traffic case dismissed in court. Many people have the misperception that traffic cases are only dismissed when an officer does not show up to court. However, there are many different angles through which a traffic case can be dismissed pre-trial. When you hire Sullo and Sullo to handle your case, you can be confident knowing that your attorney has exhausted every possible means of dismissal. From finding legal and factual mistakes on the drafted complaint to talking to the prosecutor and officer about any possible mitigating factors, your attorney will work every angle of the case with the goal of pre-trial dismissal.

3. Your attorney knows the rules of evidence and traffic laws. If your case does end up going to trial, you will be heavily disadvantaged if you do not have an attorney advocating on your behalf. Probably one of the most important reasons to have an attorney with you in traffic court is the attorney’s knowledge of the rules of evidence and the convoluted traffic laws of the state of Texas. While this knowledge is helpful in pre-trial matters, it is critical during the trial stage. Even the most highly-educated, well-meaning defendants fail miserably when going up against a seasoned attorney in trial. Pro se defendants often do not know how to conduct an efficient voir dire, when and how to deliver certain portions of their case at large, and how to conduct a debilitating cross examination. Also, many defendants arrive to court very well prepared armed with graphs, pictures and other evidence. They are often perplexed and stunned when the judge prevents them from showing any of the evidence to the jury because none of the items have been properly introduced in accordance with the rules of evidence. Don’t let yourself become one of these unfortunate people who are left wondering, “Why didn’t I just hire an attorney?” You wouldn’t operate on yourself if you discovered you needed gastric bypass surgery. Instead, you would seek the services of a skilled professional in that area. So, without the legal background and education of an attorney, why would you litigate a case on your own?

4. Your attorney knows the court system. Every Sullo attorney knows the game and how it’s played in traffic court. Our attorneys who specialize in traffic tickets are in the traffic trenches every day of the week. They are a part of the every day routine and see the inner workings of the court system. Your attorney will know which prosecutors are the best to work deals with and which prosecutors are the best to try cases against. Your attorney will also know the nuances of each judge and tailor his/her trial tactics accordingly. Do not underestimate the value of your attorney’s every day interaction with and exposure to all the courtroom players. Your attorney will take this vault of information and guide you through the strategy for your specific case. You will quickly know what will get you in trouble with the bailiffs in certain courts, and what you should say and what you should not say. Having an attorney with this wealth of knowledge by your side is an invaluable asset.

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The long road ahead: the jury trial docket

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After docket call, you must be prepared for a long day. You can bring reading material, but just make sure you don’t read anything when the judge is on the bench. While you may be one of the fortunate few who are released early, it is more likely that you will be in court anywhere from three to eight hours. The process is long and can be tedious but the Sullo attorneys are utilizing those hours to research your cases, look for any possible errors or defects in your case, to speak to your police officers and to prepare for trial.

Your attorney will call you up and speak to you individually. Please be patient. The attorney must speak to every client in the courtroom and this will take some time. When you are called up, the attorney will introduce him or herself and discuss your options with you. In most situations, the attorney will explain to you that he is working on your case and that the officer is present and ready to testify against you in trial. The attorney needs time to speak to the officer, research the facts of the case, research the law on the case, and discover any weaknesses of your case. In order for your attorney to do all this in a diligent manner, you will need to stay for the remainder of the day. If you are not willing and ready to stay for the remainder of the day, then the attorney will provide you with options to resolve your case through a program that keeps your ticket off your record. Some judges will require a fee and a period of probation during which you may not receive any more tickets. Other judges will require you to take defensive driving. While we would prefer that you be willing to stay and fight your case, we also understand that your time is valuable and that you may have other commitments.

By 11:00 a.m., some of the cases will have been resolved and you will notice that the courtroom may appear to be thinning out. By that time, the Sullo attorney will have resolved a number of cases through dismissals or special programs that keep the ticket off the defendant’s record. Some defendants wonder why they are still sitting in the courtroom when other people in the courtroom had their cases resolved. The simple answer is that no two cases are exactly the same. You may have hired Sullo for a speeding case while the person sitting next to you was charged with a registration violation. Clearly, those two violations would be handled very differently since a registration violation is a much simpler case. Even if the person next to you was charged with a speeding case as well, your two cases may have to be handled very differently depending on how fast you were going, where you were pulled over, and which officer pulled you over. While each case is resolved differently based on the facts of the particular case and the client’s willingness to remain in court, you can be confident in the knowledge that the attorney on your case is working diligently to try to get your case dismissed.

If you are still sitting in the courtroom when the judge announces the lunch break, that means that you are most likely in the pool of cases that are ready for trial. Do not be alarmed. Although you may never have testified in a jury trial before, you have an experienced attorney by your side who will walk you through the process step-by-step. (Andrew, I added this next section in..do you think I should keep it?) The attorney will explain to you that if you are found guilty at trial, the jury will have a fine range to consider based on the particular offense. Furthermore, depending on the violation, it could go on your driving record. While this may see like a big risk to take, you should know that you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. At Sullo &Sullo, it is our position that since the law says the state has to prove a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, we should hold them to that burden.

When you return from lunch, the attorneys continue to speak with the police officers and try to get your cases dismissed. Once the attorney knows for sure that your case will not be resolved without a trial, your attorney will sit with you and hash out all the details of your case. During this conversation, please tell your attorney everything that happened at the scene of the alleged violation and any other information that you feel may be relevant to the case (Were there other cars around you that the officer may have clocked? Did the officer say anything inappropriate to you? Could anything have obstructed the officer’s view? Etc.). The attorney will usually prepare you for the questions that you will most likely be asked when you take the stand to testify.

When the judge is ready to call the first case to trial, he/she will usually begin with the oldest case on the docket. If your case is not the oldest case on the docket, YOU WILL HAVE TO RETURN ON ANOTHER DATE. While this is very frustrating, the reality is that the court doesn’t have the resources to try more than one jury trial a day in each courtroom. The court clerks will give you another court date and the Sullo attorney will return with you on that date.

If you are the defendant chosen for trial, then your attorney will instruct you to take a seat at the front of the courtroom next to him/her at the attorney table. After a few administrative tasks are taken care of, the bailiff will bring in a group of prospective jurors. Make sure to stand up when the jurors are brought into the courtroom and to smile at them.