You already know that the issuing of a warrant against you means that the police can arrest you on criminal charges. A judge issues this warrant, and the police force implements it. Under these circumstances, you can tackle the situation by getting in touch with a criminal defense lawyer who will help you will all the legal repercussions. Alternatively, you can opt to let a bail bondsman post bail for you, and get out of the situation relatively unscathed.
However, if you get wind of the fact that a judge has issued an outstanding warrant against you, then that means you can be arrested at any given time. Knowing that such a warrant exists—or even suspecting that it exists, should be followed by just one course of action: you address it, surely and swiftly.
And How Do You Address It?
Deciding Which is It: An Outstanding Warrant or a Regular Warrant?
Both warrants require you to present yourself in jail, although the reasons for the issuing of this warrant may differ. Here’s how you can know the difference:
Arrest Warrant: A judge issues an arrest warrant when there are criminal charges leveled against you and the police is directed to arrest you.
Bench/Outstanding Warrant: A judge issues an outstanding warrant against you when you’ve already been instructed to appear in court—and you’ve failed to do so. This could be because you had your bail posted, and did not appear for your scheduled hearing.
In this case, not only will an outstanding warrant be issued against you, but you’ll also have to face a lot of problems with the bail bonds agency that posted your bail. Please remember that disappearing after a bail bonds agency posts your bail will only make things more difficult for you.
Checking If Such a Warrant Exists
If you know which courthouse has issued the warrant, you can visit their website or visit the courthouse to consult their public records. Online, you can find out if such a warrant exists against you by providing relevant information. There’s an online database that contains all warrant information in Florida, which you can visit.
Once you have located the warrant, check for the following:
- The dates of issuance, filing of charges, offense
- Why was the warrant issued?
- Fines that remain to be paid
The Final Step
If you have accidentally missed your hearing or if you have missed it because of a genuine issue (such as sickness or injury), it could be easier to make amends. Now that you know you’ve missed your hearing and are in trouble (you can be arrested at any given time), you should get in touch with a criminal defense lawyer immediately. Please remember that this is a tricky legal business that can’t be handled on your own.
Dealing with Bonds
If you already had your bond posted through a bail bonds agency, you will need to get in touch with them and discuss the additional charges leveled against you, if any. In graver circumstances, any collateral that you submitted to them will have been confiscated.
If you haven’t yet posted a bond, but your bail has been increased, get in touch with Lee Calhoun Bail Bonds in Gainesville, Florida, for speedy help. You can find more about Lee Calhoun and his legal team here.