Warrant For Arrest Details
If you find yourself in the unpleasant position of having an arrest
warrant sworn out in your name then you've reached the point where
arrest or surrender for arrest are your only options. From that point
on it will be up to the court system to decide your guilt or innocence
and what sentence or fines if any. Even if you have lived your entire
life without ever running afoul of the law, you might not be aware of
identity theft being used against you until it is too late. It is
conceivable someone could get into trouble using your identity but you
would be the one who would be arrested.
Arrest Warrants versus Bench Warrants
Spend any time in the court system or even watching "Law & Order"
and you'll hear the terms arrest warrant or bench warrant. Both of
these types of warrants will be sworn out by a judge but they carry
different levels of priority in terms of enforcement. A bench warrant
is typically issued as a result for failing to uphold a court ordered
obligation. This could mean missing child support payments or
forgetting to pay a parking ticket. Yes, depending on the circumstances
you could actually have a bench warrant sworn out against you for an
unpaid parking ticket.
With regard to an arrest warrant these are issued for more serious
matters of a criminal offense. Evidence is presented to a judge either
through a grand jury indictment or directly from a prosecutor which
presents a compelling argument for guilt of an individual. The arrest
warrant is then issued which means that law enforcement officers will
be directly to apprehend the suspect immediately.
How To Search With a Warrant for Arrest
You might not even know about the warrant until you're already in
cuffs. That doesn't mean you can't find out if there is an arrest
warrant in your name or anyone else's name for that matter. You can
start a warrant for arrest search with your local police department or
the department where the alleged crime occurred. The police will often
provide a free arrest warrant search through their public database.
You'll need the name, current address and age of the person. You can
conduct the same type of search at a courthouse in the jurisdiction.
The other option would be to hire a private investigator or criminal
defense lawyer to conduct the search. This might be beneficial if you
are inquiring in a state other then the one you're currently living in.
How To Deal With a Warrant for Arrest
No matter which type of warrant is issued, if you do have a warrant
sworn out in your name the only way to deal with it will be before a
judge. You could be completely innocent or caught up in a case of
mistaken identity but it will be up to the courts to make those
determinations. If you have gone through the judicial process and had
the charges dismissed, you might want to have the warrant for arrest
expunged from your record. Again, that can only be handled by the
court. Even if you have the slightest doubt, check out the arrest
warrant databases. Better to know now then before it's too late.