Explaining Bench Warrants

A bench warrant is an order issued by a judge or court ordering the apprehension of an offender. A bench warrant is directed towards individuals who have failed to appear before a court after having been summoned to do so, or for people who have been indicted for an offense, or for those individuals who have been found to be in contempt of court.

Bench warrants authorize law enforcement to seize a person, for the purpose of enforcing them to appear in court. Bench warrants are commonly used when witnesses failed to appear in court, even though they properly received a subpoena or when people are found to be in contempt in court, and when people have failed to comply with a court order in a criminal case. When a bench warrant has been handed down by a judge, law enforcement can make an arrest at any time, day or night. If you are wanted for arrest, you most likely have what is called an active warrant, in which case you should contact a criminal defense attorney who can work towards getting your warrant recalled.

Bench warrants differ from arrest warrants, which are issued by a Grand Jury after an indictment or when someone is suspected to be guilty of a crime, due to probable cause. If you fail to appear in court, a judge can issue a warrant under California Code of Civil Procedure. Bench warrants are valid in every state and can be enforced no matter where you live. After a bench warrant has been issued, you can be arrested at any time and brought before the judge who issued your bench warrant.

Bench Warrants Can Have Serious Consequences

Depending on your case, and how old your bench warrant is; you are facing jail time, a driver’s license suspension by the DMV, fines in order to re-instate your driver’s license and you could be denied bail if you failed to appear in court multiple times.

If you have been issued a bench warrant, it is vital that you contact a Los Angeles bench warrant defense attorney at Tyler & Wilson, LLP right away. We may be able to get your bench warrant recalled, and in the cases of a misdemeanor, you might be able to avoid bail. With a criminal defense attorney by your side, the chances of having your bench warrant recalled are much improved.

Contact a Los Angeles bench warrant defense lawyer from our firm today for a free initial consultation.