Criminal Defense Lawyer
There is a certain type of discomfort that comes with knowing that your freedom is on the line and at any moment it can be taken away from you. An arrest warrant allows for any law enforcement officer to take you into custody when they have crossed paths with you. No matter the reason, minor or otherwise, no matter where you are, work or asleep, you can be taken to jail. The purpose of a warrant is to locate a criminal or someone who has an open case in court that has not been closed due to the person absence or sudden disappearance. If you may have been in some criminal trouble, or have a record of something as minor as an unpaid parking and would like to know if there is a warrant out for your arrest without crossing paths with law enforcement, you can contact the courthouse to see if there is a warrant out for your arrest.
After learning that there is a warrant out for your arrest, the wisest and scariest decision to make would be to report to the courthouse or turn yourself into the authorities. You may be ordered to appear in court due to unpaid fines. If you appear in court to make a payment or a payment plan you will not be arrested and the warrant may be lifted. If, however, you appear in for reasons unrelated to the warrant, you may be arrested.
In the event that you have been subpoenaed to appear in court and fail to do so a judge will issue what is called a bench warrant, this is instruction to law enforcement to bring you forth whenever you are located. While you can pay all applicable fines to have a bench warrant removed, because you are likely picked up by the police, you are likely going to face jail time. Violent crimes are issued no-bond warrants, which require jail time. While bond warrants allow you to post bond to have the warrant lifted.
The worse you can do is dismiss your warrant entirely, as it is not fun to be on the run. Although officers are not always actively searching for you if this is not due to a violent crime. If you or someone you know may potentially have a warrant out for their arrest, speak with a criminal defense attorney before making any pivotal decisions. A skilled Decatur criminal lawyer will be able to educate you of all possible outcomes and options you have.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into criminal defense and removing a warrant.