Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Types of Arrest Warrants - A Look at Felony, Civil and Alias Arrest Warrants

A warrant of arrest is issued by the court ordering law enforcers to detain a person. Basically, arrest warrants are issued if there has been a crime that was committed and there is enough evidence to incriminate a suspect, and if the person named in the warrant committed the crime.

However, there is also warrant of arrests issued if the person in question failed to show up in court. For example, if you have outstanding parking tickets and you fail to pay for it or to show up for court to hear your case, then an arrest warrant may be issued in your name.

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There are also search warrants that give the authority to search a person's premises. Although this is not necessarily an arrest warrant, if the authorities found narcotics or other evidence that point to a particular crime, they can automatically arrest you without the warrant of arrest.

Another type of warrant is called the bench warrant. This is basically issued to people who have skipped their next scheduled court appearance. The superior court warrant is also another type of warrant issued by the county court or the Supreme Court. This secures the appearance of the defendant on court who has been indicted.

These are the types of arrest warrants that are commonly used by the law. It is important to remember that having arrest warrants is a serious thing and that you should not try and ignore it. If you do not remember committing any crime, and you have an arrest warrant in your name, then you may want to try getting the arrest warrant reviewed as you may have been a victim of identity theft.

What's a Felony Warrant?

People don't understand that there are different kinds of warrants that can be issued by the court. One of which is called the felony warrant. Basically, if this type of warrant was issued, the person in the warrant can be arrested for felony charges or for crimes that he or she committed.

One example would be the case of Paula Poundstone who was arrested on a felony warrant. The charges were three counts of lewd acts on a 14 year old girl. She was also charged for endangering two unidentified girls and two boys by driving under the influence.

This is an example of a case where felony warrants can be issued. Although the three lewd acts charges were dropped, she underwent a 180 alcohol rehabilitation program.

Felony warrants lasts until the authority arrests the person who was charged with a particular felony act.

Felony warrants are public documents which can be legally and freely viewed by the public and is a serious type of warrant that should not be ignored. It is important that you should try searching for felony warrants in your name in order to make sure that you are free from any felony charges that you may not know about.

You have to consider that fact that people may use your identity and you may be charged with a crime under your name that was committed by another person who used your identity to commit the crime.

This is what felony warrant is all about. Lewd acts or conduct is just one type of crime that felony warrant may be filed against you.

What is a Civil Warrant?

There are a lot of people who fills out a civil warrant or a civil summons form. However, not many people know about it and that they often mistake it for an arrest warrant. So, just what is a civil warrant and where is it used?

Basically, a civil warrant is commonly issued in the small claims court when filing suit. The plaintiff will be requested to fill out a civil warrant or a civil summons form. In this form, it will contain space for the details of the claim. If you are seeking for a money judgment, then you might want to prepare and file a type of civil warrant called the warrant in debt.

Another type of civil warrant that is commonly issued is called the warrant in detinue. This is used by the plaintiff in order to obtain a possession of a specific personal property that he or she considered to be wrongfully possessed or withheld by the defendant. These forms can be filled out by a non-lawyer who is representing him or herself.

The civil warrant is basically commonly used in the small claims court. In order to file it, you will need to give the court clerk the name of the defendant, the amount of your claim, the basis of the claim, the current address of the defendant, and the sufficient funds to pay the fees, such as the filing fee and the sheriff's fees in order to serve the warrant.

As you can see, the civil warrant is basically simple to understand. These warrants are basically used in the civil court and are commonly used by filing small claims.

What is an Alias Warrant?

You'll see that there are quite a lot of types of warrant. If you are studying law or that you have an interest with the law, it is important that you should know about the different types of warrants in order for you to become more informed and more aware about the proceedings of the law. Even if you are a regular person, having knowledge about the different kinds of warrant can help you in case you or someone you know has been issued with a type of warrant.

One type of warrant is called the alias warrant.

Basically, the alias warrant is a type of warrant that is issued by the court when no plea has been entered on the case you are involved in, particularly if you failed to appear in court. This type of warrant can be issued if you also fail to appear on the initial appearance on the citation or you have failed to appear on court on the scheduled court date.

You have to remember that when you receive and sign a citation, this is as good as a promise that you will appear in court. If you fail to appear, you will automatically have two cases instead of one. This additional offense is called Failure to Appear, which is under the Penal Code.

This type of warrant gives the authority to arrest you. You can bond out of jail by cash bond, bail bond, attorney bond, or PR bond.

As you can see, alias warrants should be taken seriously. You need to appear in court in person or by mail on the scheduled court date. Or else, you will be charged with an additional offense and an alias warrant will be issued on your name.

Types of Arrest Warrants - A Look at Felony, Civil and Alias Arrest Warrants

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Warning About Buy Here, Pay Here Car Lots

Before you turn over your hard earned cash at a buy here pay here car lot, there are some things that you should know. This information will save you a lot of money, both right now and in the future.

You're paying too much.

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There's no bank that's regulating how much the car lot is charging you for the car. In many cases, buying from a buy-here-pay-here car lot is resulting in you paying thousands more for a car than it could ever possibly be sold for at a regular car dealership. On top of that, you're paying thousands more in finance charges than you have to.

You don't have to use a buy here pay here car lot!

You absolutely don't. There are finance companies on the internet that specialize in helping people with horrible credit get into cars without even needing a down payment. You can save thousands of dollars on both the price of a car, your interest rate and your monthly payments if you just know what to do.

Regardless of your credit history... If you've had judgments, repossessions, bankruptcy or multiple bankruptcies, medical collections, tax liens, whatever. Who cares?

You can get financed and approved... for more car with lower payments. Lower payments are the result of a lower interest rate.

You know what the best thing about getting approved online is? You don't necessarily have to buy from a car dealership. Having an approval letter from an online loan company means that you can go car shopping anywhere you want, including shopping for cars in your local newspaper for sale by private owner, which saves you from having to pay sales tax!

Warning About Buy Here, Pay Here Car Lots

Saturday, March 10, 2012

How to Find Someone's Address Using Their Cell Phone Number

These services make sense for a whole lot of reasons. For instance a particular number might keep popping up on your spouse's cell phone or you might be the habitual victim of a prankster who keeps sending you odd text messages or making disturbing calls. Regardless of the nature of your concerns, you can always find what you need using such services.

More than 50% of the numbers in existence are either unlisted numbers or they come from cell phones, looking in a phonebook won't help at all because these records are not publicly available, they are part of the records of private cell phone companies.

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Businesses exist that pay a lot for the opportunity to access records for unlisted phone numbers as well as cell phone numbers. This information that is gathered is then used to create very comprehensive databases that you can use to search for the needed information. This is because they spend money to get these databases together, they also tend to charge a fee for providing services such as reverse cell number lookup. Their fees aren't exorbitant but they are well worth what you pay for them.

Reverse cell phone number search services allow you instant access to records such as name, address and current location for just a small amount of money. All you need to have is the person's phone number and a credit card to sign up for the service in question.

Some people prefer to save money by using services that offer the chance to perform a one-time search, while other people who feel they will be using these services much more frequently prefer to pay a substantially larger fee.

You'd be surprised about just how much you can find out about a person just from their phone number alone.

How to Find Someone's Address Using Their Cell Phone Number

Thursday, March 8, 2012

How Safe is Costa Rica?

A question often asked is, "Is Costa Rica safe?" The answer, to a great extent, is yes.

The crime rate in Costa Rica is the lowest in Latin America, and Costa Rica is, without a doubt, the safest country in Central America. Over one and a half million tourists, most of them Americans, visit Costa Rica every year, and they feel as safe as ever exploring the country. The Ticos on the whole are very friendly and warm people by nature, and they live a simple life devoid of all its excesses. There are no acts of terrorism in Costa Rica, and recreational drugs, other than tobacco and alcohol, are illegal. And Costa Rica has no standing army, and unlike all other countries in Latin America, the country has not experienced any political strife since 1949.

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With the single exception of robbery, the crime rate in Costa Rica is very low compared to other countries. For the purpose of comparison, according to the United Nations' Seventh Annual Survey on Crime, crimes recorded in police statistics show that the crime rate for all index crimes (murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft) in Costa Rica was 1208.2 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1999, comparing very well with 1529.75 for Japan (country with a low crime rate) and 4184.24 for the U.S. (country with a high crime rate).

The crime in Costa Rica is generally much lower and less violent than that in the States, and the crime here tends to be opportunistic as opposed to violent. In other words, rapes and murders in Costa Rica are very few, almost unheard of, compared to those in the States, but petty theft, car theft, and pick-pocketing are not uncommon here, especially in downtown San Jose and on the beach. In smaller towns, the crime rate is much lower.

It's always best to exercise caution at all times, not only when visiting Costa Rica, but also when visiting any other foreign country. Traveling to any country is not without some risk. The good news is that you can very much enjoy a safe and wonderful stay in Costa Rica by following the simple common-sense safety tips outlined below, which also apply to any other foreign country you may want to visit.

* Be careful when stepping into the wild, going off a beaten path, or roaming national parks. Pay attention to warning signs, and always check with your guide if there's any danger ahead.

* Be very wary of dangerous trails, volcanic areas, riptides, and waves.

* Do not swim into the ocean. There are few lifeguards, so always stay near other bathers.

* Do not walk alone in secluded areas or go into public parks late at night.

* Steer clear of deserted side streets, properties, or undeveloped land.

* Watch your luggage, never leave it unattended, and write your name on it.

* Do not hand your luggage to any stranger except the airport porters who carry an official identification.

* Lock your doors and your luggage when staying at a hotel.

* Do not carry a lot of money or flash big wads of money, and remember to keep your wallet in a safe place. It is also recommended to wear a money belt.

* Make sure that your personal belongings (keys, laptop, cell phone, credit card(s), etc.) are within reach, in a secure place, and never out in the open.

* As a foreigner, your passport is your ID. Keep your passport in a secure place, and always keep several photocopies of your passport as well as your Costa Rica airline ticket and insurance policy.

* Do not make yourself a target for thieves and pickpockets - do not wear flashy jewelry or expensive watches.

* Do not hold expensive equipment, such as cameras, all the time while walking.

* Guard yourself against car theft - always lock your car, and do not leave your keys or anything of value in your car even if you run into a store or supermarket for a few seconds to buy something.

* Do not park your car on the street - use secured private parking lots whenever possible.

* Use your common sense, do not trust anyone who approaches you and wants to act like your tour guide, and do not get separated from your tour group.

If you fall victim to any crime, please report the incident to the local police and contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.

Be not afraid! Remember that traveling to any country in the world is not without some risk, and you should follow these safety precautions anywhere you go. With some common sense, no crime will ever happen to you and you will find Costa Rica a safe and wonderful country to visit or stay. Most of this advice is well taken in the States.

We have not suffered any crime that we are aware of in the last two years (knock on wood), but that can happen in just about any community in the world. Remember, the crime rate in the U.S. is about 4 times as high as it is here in Grecia. And in Dallas, TX, I had my Chevy Blazer stolen twice (only to steal the radio) and had the house burglarized once, so things like these can happen here, in the U.S., or anywhere else.

How Safe is Costa Rica?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

12 Steps to Divorcing a Drug Addict

1. Put Your Trust In Your God. The Universe is controlled by a divine power. Put your trust in the power of prayer and listen to the answers. Throughout my marriage, I prayed for the strength to get through some very difficult times. Not being an addict myself, I cannot understand putting a chemical in my body and holding that chemical in a more important place than my family. I just don't get it but in the end, if your spouse won't seek professional help for drug and alcohol addictions, it's probably time to go. I was so frightened, and I felt I had not option but to leave to protect myself (and the children). In the beginning, I was dumb-founded (I still am) that he would choose drugs over us, his family, but THAT WAS his choice. Although I can't control his choices, I AM affected by his choices, and I CAN control HOW I will react to those choices. So, I pray...a lot.

2. Get Legal Advice - Know that anything a drug addict says, no matter how sincere it seems at face value, is driven by the drugs. Whether the discussion is about the children or money, don't trust anything an addict says. A professional told me that when you are divorcing a drug addict, you MUST face the fact that a drug addict is having an affair! You (and the children, if there are children) are no longer the primary focus for a spouse with drug/alcohol issues. An affair with the drugs is very difficult for the other spouse to "fight". (A friend of mine went through a divorce with a partner that was a chronic "cheater", she felt my situation was easier. Divorcing a drug addict is the same as divorcing a "cheater" - the trust is gone! Once the trust is gone - it's gone!) So, unfortunately, you must have legal representation, unless the addict is willing to sign everything over and just walk away. If your spouse is willing to "give" you everything, you should still have an attorney and perhaps an accountant review and advise you on any short term, long term and/or tax implications. Check with friends or go online and get referrals from chat rooms, web forums or even Twitter can guide you to websites to help you do some research, but in the end, get professional advice.

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3. Get Support from Friends. A divorce is emotionally draining. Typically, your friends and family don't want to hear it, but it's really important to have someone that is willing to listen and just offer support. Not guidance, just support.

4. Get Therapy. If you can afford to visit with a therapist, I would highly recommend that you do that. A trained professional can help you understand the inner brain workings of a drug/alcohol addict. AND, whether you want to hear it or not, at some level you have some responsibility in all this. A therapist can help you see the areas where you have to take ownership of this crisis. There are studies out now, that have revealed that people with addictions have a gene that can be identified. You may have to face the fact that, perhaps, you were an "enabler". Ultimately, though, the responsibility for the addictions rest squarely on the shoulders of the addict. Unless, of course, you were the one that held your spouse down and physically forced the drugs into their body.

5. Blog. If you live in a bubble, where you haven't access to friends, family and therapists then I would suggest that you blog or at the very least journal. Even if you do have friends and family, these support systems, firstly, get tired of hearing about your indignations and hurts and secondly, your friends and family, unless they have been through it, may not know how to support you. It's one thing to have friends and family that can support you in a divorce, however, divorcing an addict is NOT like going through a "normal" "irreconcilable differences" divorce. Go online and find others that are fighting the same dragons, find chat rooms and forums that can give you guidance in finding lawyers and therapists etc. in your area of the country. It will give you a chance to rant with someone that understands and you can compare horror stories, that, trust me, may eventually, with time, seem mildly entertaining. Maybe, even funny.

6. Protect your Credit. Any divorce will cause disruptions with your credit score, and especially today with the current economic situation and problems with identity theft, it becomes even more important to protect your identity and your credit score. This is not just directed at outsiders, your spouse might try to hi-jack your identity, not just for their own self-serving practices but, sometimes, as was in my case, an attempt at causing you harm. In a divorce, both parties have the potential (and the motive) to cause harm to the others' credit. Horror stories abound about credit catastrophes caused by angry spouses - like..... running up credit cards in the other spouse's name and walking away. Enlist a service, that for a monthly fee, will monitor your credit score and advise you by email, if there are any changes to your credit score.

7. Set Up Your New Separate Identity. If it's not time right now, it will be soon. So, there's no time like the present to start using your own name and identity. Start recognizing yourself as YOU. Separate and apart from your identity as a spouse, having others recognize you as a person standing alone will help you feel more empowered. Think about reverting to your single name.

8. Take Your Time. Decisions made now, while not set in stone, are important and will have an impact. Whether you decide to move to a new home or city, whether you choose one lawyer over another. All these decisions are important. So make your choices wisely and be informed as best you can. Take advice from any and all sources you can, but remember you are the one that has to live with the long term impact of the choices. So make your choices and decisions wisely!

9. Don't Take Advice from Friends. All that being said, in number 8, recognize that you shouldn't take advice from friends as "set in stone". Take the input, weigh in out, balance it with information from searching the internet but just know that friends are biased. Unless your friends are trained professionals, and even then, while their input may be heartfelt, it might be totally wrong for your situation and they could be biased. Take all the input and apply what works to your individual situation.

10. Insurances. Make sure all your insurances are up to date. Medical, vehicle, home, life. In my situation, for whatever reason (I surmise his processes were clouded by the drug/alcohol usage), the car insurance didn't get paid and we were driving for months with no car insurance. In my state, that's illegal and it was reported to the state and that opened another can of worms, which caused further damage to my credit score. So take responsibility and make sure ALL your insurances are current.

11. Your Finances. Your finances are a very crucial part of a divorce. If at all possible, I would suggest that you should, unfortunately, preplan by tucking some money aside, before the divorce, in the event that things turn ugly. You will, at least, have access to SOME money to see you through some difficult roads ahead. Money in should always be more than money out, but particularly important during a divorce. Work diligently towards keeping credit cards in order. Continue, if at all possible, to add to your savings plan every month.. You really should be aware of tax ramifications and the long term impact - things that your lawyer may not have expertise in. Work with an accountant or a divorce planning financial expert. Hindsight is always 20/20 is how the saying goes and in looking back I realize that during my marriage, we lived off of one salary and banked the other. While in the marriage, I thought that was a great idea. Now though, when he closed the bank accounts and took all the money, I realize that wasn't such a good idea. Get an accountant.

12. Look After Yourself. The road ahead will be taxing and probably difficult, depending on how much of a time/emotional investment you made into your marriage. Take the time to relax, do whatever it is that brings some "you" time. Go for walks, play cards, ride horses, yoga, read, play the piano, it's important to find time to experience the things that bring you stress relief. Stress can be difficult to manage at any time in your life, but particularly during a divorce. The point is that a divorce CAN consume you, IF you let it. So, take the time to take time for you. Make sure you still get your hair done, your nails, pamper yourself and just know, that no matter what someone else may be telling you - you are worth it. Looking after yourself reinforces your energy levels, your resolve and your determination.

In the beginning of the end, (or the end of the beginning), I watched "Diary of a Mad Black Woman, I watched, "Enough", I watched, "Sleeping with the Enemy" and while I recognized parts of each of those movies in my marriage, more than anything I recognized that the common element is a certain "system" of emotions that run amuck. First comes the rush of fear, then indignation, then anger, then, fear again. More indignation, anger and then acceptance and resolution. Through it all, runs the desire to "hate" - eventually you come the resolution that these negative emotions fuel more of the same - through the Law of Attraction - so it's healthier (not easier - but healthier) to let it go. The Law of Attraction is very clear, whatever you focus on - whatever you think about you will bring more of into your life. Anger, brings more anger, conversely peace will bring more peace.

Drug and alcohol addicts don't do drugs and alcohol because of something you have done, they do drugs and alcohol because of something going on in their own reality. I used to get upset every time I opened an email offering to supply me with drugs without a prescription - somehow I was able to easily hit the delete button. I can't say the same thing for everyone - otherwise these websites would not survive. You give yourself too much credit if you think that you had anything to do with turning your spouse into an addict. At some level, even the addict can't control the behavior. Hopefully, at some point, the addict will realize and reach out for the professional help that will help them heal.

Another tidbit that I will impart, I have been told by the drug addiction doctors that the drug addict will tell you that they have recovered. This was certainly the case in my personal story. Most drugs cannot be controlled by the addict going "cold turkey" on their own. Usually, these drugs have to be "de-toxed" out of the body using other drugs and a course of therapy and these things cannot be done on an out-patient basis. Once an addict has "recovered", that person's life will, forever, be "in recovery". Whatever the addiction gambling, drinking, drugs, on and on the list goes...... once the addiction has been "conquered", it will always be a challenge AND one addiction can be replaced for another! It's really important that addiction issues be dealt with by a licensed professional, under controlled settings.

So, let it go - don't take their choices personally, and as hard as it may seem, let them go...and pray for them.

I am not a professional, I encourage you to seek the advice of a licensed professional to help you make critical decisions.

12 Steps to Divorcing a Drug Addict

Monday, March 5, 2012

What Is The Credit Score Rating Scale?

Understanding your credit score rating scale can seem like an overwhelming and almost impossible prospect. A credit rating scale can be confusing, especially if you have trouble with numeric systems. In a scale you have several numbers that all mean something different. Even though it can be a hard and overwhelming to try to understand your rating scale, doing so can be rewarding and a necessity in fixing it if need be.

One of the first things you should look at it is how exactly your credit score rating scale is composed and put together. Companies look at a couple of different aspects to put it together. One thing that determines how your credit rating is put together is your past payment history. This includes how well you pay your bills and whether or not you pay them on time or not. This aspect also includes any outstanding debt, too much can make your credit rating lean towards the lower end. Something else that is considered is your credit history in general. Beginners as well as a poor one can lower it as well. Sometimes if you are just starting out it may be even lower than someone who has a history that is poor.

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Other things that are considered as part of a credit score rating scale are any credit applications or inquiries into your credit. Too many of either can lower your score and reflect poorly on you and your score. Different types of loans and credit can also have an affect as well. Balances that are too high and the number of balances that are too high can be a bad sign to a credit reporter as well. High interest rates can even be a negative mark as well.

On the rating scale a score of seven hundred or more is excellent and someone with this type of score should have no problems with credit or interest rates. While those with scores around six hundred and fifty to four hundred and fifty will have some difficulty obtaining credit, though could still have a chance. A lot of times those who fall on this part of the scale will have to secure any loan they apply for with some type of collateral. Those who fall below four hundred and fifty will most likely not get approved at all, whether secured or not. These people need to find a solution to their credit problems and a way to improve where they fall on the scale if they wish to stand any chance at all.

Speaking of help in rising where you fall on the credit score rating scale there are a lot of places to start from. Free credit counseling is available if you know where to look and will greatly help you if you are in need. These credit counselors will not only help you improve your score but can also help you get back on track and be more responsible in the future to avoid the problem again.

After sifting through all the information and getting your bearings you can learn a lot. Things may not be so overwhelming after all. When it comes to the credit score rating scale and understanding it, all it takes is a little patience, which in the end can be well worth it.

What Is The Credit Score Rating Scale?

Thursday, March 1, 2012

How Do I Connect My Bluetooth Phone To My Computer

Your first question might actually be, why would I want to connect my bluetooth phone to my computer? It is a great way to transfer photos, mp3's and other files from your mobile phone to your computer without the purchase of cables that only work with one phone or expensive software for a specific phone.

How do I connect my bluetooth phone with my computer? First you need to turn your phones visibility on. Most phones you do this by going into the menu, settings and they should be an option for "connections." Bluetooth will or should be under your connects, like I said this is for most phones. You need to first make sure your bluetooth is turned on. Next you need to turn on your bluetooth's visability.

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As far as your computer goes. You either need a laptop/tower with bluetooth build in or a bluetooth USB adapter. You can generally get a bluetooth USB adapter for less than , and these are very useful and can be used with multiple phones, which is great about bluetooth.

After you have your bluetooth USB installed on your computer, then you need to sync them together. The easiest way that I have found to do this is to do it from the phone. Under your bluetooth settings under your phone, they should be an option to search for new devices or to pair it. Once your perform the search it should find your computer. Select to pair it with your computer. It will ask you for the passcode on the phone it should be "0000" that is four zeros. You should get a pop up from the system tray on a windows machine asking if you want to pair your bluetooth with this device. You need to tell it yes and it will ass for the passcode, which again is four zeros "0000." You should then be ready to use your bluetooth enabled phone with your computer.

How Do I Connect My Bluetooth Phone To My Computer