Your Case: A Client's Guide

For clients of Salinas Defense Law Firm with a criminal case in Harris County. Keep this page handy. Questions? Call (832) 202-8409 or email salinasa@salinasdefense.com.

The Three Rules

1. Do not miss court. Missing a setting means a warrant and a revoked bond. If something goes wrong, call us before your setting.
2. Do not talk about your case. Not to police, friends, family, the complainant, social media, or anyone on a jail phone. Only to us.
3. Stay reachable. Tell us the same week your phone, address, or email changes.

Looking Up Your Case

Keep two numbers handy: your cause number (case number) and your SPN (assigned at booking). Both are on your bond paperwork.

• Harris County District Clerk: choose the Criminal tab; search by name and date of birth, or cause number.
• HCSO Criminal Records Inquiry: usually the fastest way to see your next court setting.
• Your court: felony courts or misdemeanor courts. Most sit at 1201 Franklin St. Confirm your floor before you go.
• Pretrial Services, (832) 927-3520, for personal bond questions.

Online records lag and contain errors. Check them for peace of mind, then call us to confirm anything that matters. Never pay a website promising to "clear" your record. Those are scams.

What to Expect

Most settings are short resets: your name is called, a new date is set, you leave. That is normal. The real work happens between settings.

Serious felonies and trial cases run longer. If you haven't heard from us in a while, we're usually waiting on the State or a lab. Call anytime.

Court Day

• Arrive an hour early. Parking and security take time.
• Dress code: collared shirt, clean pants, closed shoes. No shorts, hats, tank tops, or logos.
• Bring ID and your cause number.
• Leave weapons and anything sharp at home.
• Silence your phone.
• Stand when the judge addresses you. "Yes, Your Honor." Don't argue or explain.
• Do not speak to the prosecutor. If approached, say "I'm represented by counsel."
• Only skip a setting if we tell you your appearance is waived for that specific date.

When People Ask About Your Case

Police or investigators

However they approach you (a knock, a call, a friendly "just tell us your side"), say only this:

"I have a lawyer. I'm not going to answer questions. Please contact Andrew Salinas at (832) 202-8409."

Then stop talking and call us. Using your rights cannot be used against you. Nobody talks their way out of a filed charge; many talk their way into a worse one. You don't have to let anyone in without a warrant. Say "I do not consent to a search" and don't resist. If arrested, give your name, date of birth, and address only. "Off the record" does not exist.

The complainant or any witness

Do not respond, at all. Not a text, a call, a like, or a message through a friend. Not even if they reach out first or say they want the charges dropped. It can violate your bond and be charged as witness tampering, often more serious than your original case. Save the message, send it to us, and we'll find a lawful way to handle anything legitimate.

Family and friends

There is no privilege here. Anyone you talk to can be subpoenaed and made to repeat it under oath. Say: "I have a lawyer handling it and I've been told not to discuss details." Talk about how you're feeling, just not the facts.

In jail

Every call, visit, and letter is recorded and reviewed. Prosecutors play jail calls for juries. Don't use code; it sounds like guilt. Don't discuss your case with other inmates. Properly arranged attorney calls are confidential; ask us to set one up.

Social media

Post nothing while your case is pending. Privacy settings are not protection. Don't delete posts or accounts without asking us first. Deleting can be charged as destroying evidence.

Employers and landlords

Some jobs and licenses require reporting an arrest on a deadline. Call us before you disclose anything.

Your Bond Conditions

These are court orders. Violating one can put you back in jail even if you're later found not guilty. Yours may include no-contact orders, GPS monitoring, interlock, curfew, drug or alcohol testing, surrendering firearms, travel limits, or check-ins.

Know exactly what yours are. If you're not certain, call us today. If you have a conflict (work travel, surgery, a funeral), ask us in advance. Conditions can often be modified. They cannot be un-violated.

Two Deadlines That Can't Wait

Do's and Don'ts

When your case ends, ask us whether you qualify to have your record expunged or sealed. It is a separate process and does not happen automatically.