BEAUMONT, Texas — If you've got an outstanding warrant or ticket from the City of Beaumont that you haven't taken care of, the court is giving you a chance to save some money along with the hassle of potentially being arrested.
Beaumont Police officers will be conducting a "warrant round-up" beginning on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, according to a news release from the city.
"Those 2 weeks are your safe space. Your safe spot for here being in the court, said court administrator Bree Thibodeaux. "Right before that warrant roundup, April 3rd, we can't help you anymore."
If you don't want to get caught up in it, you can take care of your outstanding tickets and class C misdemeanor violations during the Beaumont Municipal Court's amnesty program.
One Beaumont resident urges citizens to get their citations or warrants taken care of.
"I know me I'm a procrastinator," said Misty Johnson. "So if you've been procrastinating and you kind of forgot about it, it allows you to kind of like ok let's go ahead and get this taken care of so you don't worry about it anymore."
The amnesty program runs from Tuesday, March 19, 2024 through Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in efforts to clear up the backlog of class C misdemeanor warrants.
A list of active warrants is available on the city's website.
This is the first time an amnesty program has been initiated by the municipal court in Beaumont and those who take advantage of it will have their $50 warrant fees waived, according to the release.
"Most people who do have warrants don't just have one warrant, they have multiples. So we want to help," said court administrator Bree Thibodeaux. "So that $50 for three charges, that's quite a bit of money they can potentially save."
MORE | Pay your fines online
Outstanding tickets can be paid by phone, in-person at the court at 700 Orleans St. in downtown Beaumont or on the city's website.
If you're unable to afford the fine, a judge can help you with a payment plan or community service option.
"Folks are afraid to come down here because they don't have enough money to pay their fines. Not thinking that, hey I can get on a payment plan, or I don't have enough money to pay it. Not knowing that they can have community service," said Chief Magistrate Craig Lively. "If they'd just come down here first, it would be so much easier to answer those questions for them."
Citizens are encouraged to take advantage of this program.
"Worst off just spending time on county jail till the judge sees you. And so you don't want that," said Chief Magistrate Lively. "Whenever you could've come down here in this courtroom and had a chance to visit with the judge in this environment and just had a face to face conversation and taken care of it easily."
Those participating in the amnesty program should be aware that the charge will still go on their record, but they will be able to speak with a judge about the situation.
Participants will still have the opportunity to get set for a pre-trial, if pleading not guilty.
"You still have the same rights you do when the charges were first filed. You can plead not guilty, we can get you set for a pre- trial go through the whole process like you normally would," said Chief Magistrate Lively. "If you wanna plead, guilty or no contest we have payment plans overtime."
With over 35,000 active class C misdemeanor warrants, the city is owed more than $14 million dollars.
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This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.