Quoted:
As a former LEO and current Texas lawyer, I can assure you that the advice you have received is sound.  As a general rule, Texas does not extradite for misdemeanors, and in fact doesn't even enter them into NCIC, only TCIC.  So, if you stay out of Texas, you should be good to go.  If the rental place no longer exists, there are probably no witnesses or records for the prosecution to use to go after you.  You might want to try sending a letter to the District Attorney's office for the county the warrant is in and explain the situation.  If anyone there has enough snap to look into the matter, you might get it dismissed.

caveat-  if you live in a county adjoining the state, many Texas counties located on the state line will act on misdemeanors if they know you are living close by.

As far as driver's licenses, there is already a system in place to suspend out-of-state traffic violaters, but no similar system for non-traffic offenses that I am aware of.

Quoted:


That's what I was told by 3 different lawyers.  I was talking to SC-Texas about this back before he got banned.  Seemed to think that wasn't too far out of line, by the time all the paperwork got done.  He was going to find someone in San Antonio to help me out, since he was in Houston.  But, well, that chance went bye-bye.

Quoted:

Is there a statute of limitations on stuff like this?

Quoted:


I'm not a lawyer or a cop, and I don't play one on the internet, but part of me thinks you should take care of the warrant to prevent any incidents down the line, but part of me thinks $2500 to get probation in another state is absurd.  The bigger part of me is saying "take care of the warrant."

Quoted:


There is for reporting a crime.  IIRC, it's 4 years in GA for a misdemeanor.  

Not sure there is a statute of limitation once a warrant is taken out.

Quoted:
Get a lawyer to deal with it.....and have him call and threaten legal action against the party supply company for filing false charges against you.  It was their responsibility to pick up the tables and shit and they did not.

Quoted:


That's not a bad idea.  I'm kinda hoping the place is out of business, because I think they would just drop it if there wasn't a "victim" anymore.  

ETA:  I wonder if they ever purge old warrants?  Do states ever do that?  Just drop old inconsequential warrants they can't "fill"?

Quoted:


Yes they do, after years with no action they often review and purge old warrants.

Quoted:
The legal system (not justice system) is completely fucked.

Quoted:





I wonder how Customs knew?  Do they access state level databases?

Quoted:


Some day I'll take care of it, if I ever plan to go to Texas again.    It's a BS warrant.  My wife and I got married in April '02.  We rented tables and chairs for the reception.  The reception was Saturday and we left for our honeymoon on Sunday.  My brother stayed at our house through Monday, because the party place was supposed to come pick up the stuff.  We returned the following Saturday and the stuff was still at our house.  Multiple phone calls and we found out the rental place's truck broke down and they couldn't pick it up.  They demanded I return it.  I asked how that was possible with a Mustang, and told him it wasn't happening.  I stacked the stuff up on the side of the house, and told them I would keep it safe until they could get it.  They weren't happy, but said "Fine."



Fast forward to July/August '02.  Stuff is still at my house.  Yeah.  3 or 4 months!  I get a call at work from an SAPD Detective.  He's calling about the stuff, they reported it stolen.  I explained the story to him, he asked if they could come get it.  I said "Please, I'm getting pretty damn tired of keeping it covered and mowing around it", Detective laughs his ass off and tells me he'll let them know.  A couple days later, they show up and take it.  Finally.  It's over.  (This portion of the timeline may not be totally accurate, it may have been a little earlier than July, but it's been so long I can't remember for sure, but it was MONTHS after the wedding.)



In January '03 my family and I moved to Arizona.  We forwarded all our mail, etc.  Got AZ Driver's licenses, turned in our Texas D/L's, etc.  In other words, not trying to hide.  I get a CCW in AZ, buy several NFA toys over the years, background check for 2 different jobs, apply for and receive a passport, basically have my life completely open.



Fast forward to April '08.  Our 6th wedding anniversary.  My wife and I fly to Cancun.  Have a great time!  Come back through Miami.  As I'm going through customs, I hand over my passport, the guy runs it and looks and me and asks "Have you failed to pay your child support?"  I'm like  Here's my wife, the only woman I have children with, and I certainly don't have to pay her child support.  He tells me I need to come with him, and he takes me to a holding area full of foreigners, and makes my wife sit with me.  She is NOT happy, sitting there thinking I may have some kids somewhere I didn't tell her about.  We have no idea what's going on, but have to wait.  After 30 minutes or so, I'm called up.  Customs agent tells me I have a warrant out of Texas, but it's for a misdemeanor and they will not extradite for that.  So we're "Free" to go, which meant escorting us to our luggage, where it's hand searched, and then finally let go.  



When we get home I make some phone calls and determine that a warrant was issued over the whole party place thing in June of '03.  Theft of Services, Class B (less than $500). 1 year and 2 months after the wedding, and 5 months after I left Texas.  I never received ANY kind of notice.  Nothing.  Not a letter in the mail, not a forwarded letter, no one said anything when I was getting my background checked multiple times by local police and feds, and no officer mentioned it when I was stopped for anything in AZ.  



I call a couple lawyers in TX, and they basically tell me the best thing to do is fly to TX and turn myself in.  For $2500 or so, they'll see what they can do, since I have a squeaky clean record, worst case is likely probation.  But, they tell me, because of the type of warrant, if I just don't go to TX anymore, I can just ignore it.  



So, that's where I'm at.  "Crime" was committed well over 8 years ago, and warrant was issued over 7 years ago.  It's had zero effect on my life, and I just don't see the point of paying a lawyer to fix it.  What would you guys do?

Quoted:







I'm not a lawyer or a cop, and I don't play one on the internet, but part of me thinks you should take care of the warrant to prevent any incidents down the line, but part of me thinks $2500 to get probation in another state is absurd.  The bigger part of me is saying "take care of the warrant."

Quoted:
I did just confirm that the place is now out of business.....

Quoted:
I did just confirm that the place is now out of business.....

Quoted:


+1  

Quoted:
Well, best case is the thing is dismissed.  Worst case was probation.

Quoted:


No proof of anything.  I didn't find out until 6 years after that there was even a warrant.  I though the issue was closed and over after the quick phonecall from SAPD.  I mean I was literally on the phone with the guy for less than 5 minutes.  

I'd get a lawyer, but its $2500, and has no effect on my life.  Just doesn't seem worth paying.

Quoted:


see, you unlawfully holding onto those tables with willful criminal intent prevented them from getting new paying clients, and their business failed as a direct result of your action!  

ar-jedi

Quoted:



I did just confirm that the place is now out of business.....

Quoted:

Yeah, I don't even understand the "probation" thing.

How about "not guilty"?

There must be some option that doesn't involve $2500.

Quoted:


I did just confirm that the place is now out of business.....

Quoted:
If it such a "BS warrant" why not get a lawyer and take care of it.  You have this big story on how stupid the whole thing is why not relate the story to the police department that issued the warrant.

Quoted:


No proof of anything.  I didn't find out until 6 years after that there was even a warrant.  I though the issue was closed and over after the quick phonecall from SAPD.  I mean I was literally on the phone with the guy for less than 5 minutes.  

I'd get a lawyer, but its $2500, and has no effect on my life.  Just doesn't seem worth paying.

Quoted:






Because it's $$$.  Thus far it hasn't affected my life in any way.  And according to attorneys it won't.  Going to court always has risks.  Even though I *know* I'm innocent not guilty, shit happens.  That and the fact that having to be out of town for any amount of time, if it came to that for court, costs me even more money.  





Also, this is kinda why I brought it here.  I want to know what other people would do.

Quoted:


Until that one time it does effect your life, and then how much is it going to cost you? What if they had held you in FL for a week? What would that have costed you?

Quoted:
Go on the offense.  Sue them for malicious complaint.  ( not a lawyer so I don't know the correct legal term.)    That's clearly what they did.

Quoted:
What happened to SC-Texas?

If I had my bar card, I would look into this for you for alot less than $2500. Maybe if you want to wait another 18 months?

Quoted:


banned

Quoted:

My buddy still has a warrant from the 1960s in San Francisco. He beat the shit out of some hippie and stuffed him in a garbage can upside down. He was arrested and bailed out. He hasn't set foot in California since.

Quoted:


But for what?

Quoted:
You may be fine, unless you go to Texas or travel by air again. Also, the way states are cooperating with each other (interstate violators compact) they may eventually all agree to suspend drivers licenses in your home state for warrants in other states. I would contact the company you rented from (maybe through a lawyer) and try to negotiate a dropping of the charges. You may be able you buy your way out of it without going to court.
It's worth a shot.

Quoted:


That would be my worry.  Just because they won't extradite now, doesn't mean they won't in the future.

Quoted:



I want to buy your friend a beer.

Quoted:

You.

Are.

Fucked.



http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f136/mordifie/walker-texas-ranger-01-g.jpg

Quoted:


Case dismissed.

Get ahold of the DA.

 

Quoted:


I couldn't remember why, so I just tried to google search for it.  Want to know what the first google result was?  THIS thread.  Damn google is fast.