Reasons Why A Bench Warrant May Be Issued
In general, bench warrants are requested when a citizen violates court orders. This can happen in a few different ways:
Violating Probation
When on probation, individuals are required to follow a set of conditions as mandated by the courts.
Typical probation conditions include:
- Passing random drug tests
- Following curfew
- Staying away from certain people and places
- Attending mandatory counseling or education programs
- Attending all court dates
If an individual breaks the rules and their probation officer or the courts find out, they may have a bench warrant issued for their arrest. The purpose of a bench warrant is to bring the individual in front of a judge. However, unlike an arrest warrant, the police will not go actively search for the individual with the bench warrant.
Skipping Court
Even if the individual is not on probation, missing a mandatory court date for any reason could result in a bench warrant being issued.
Failure to Pay Fines or Child Support
If a significant amount of time has passed since when an individual did not make mandatory payments, the court may have to take action. There are multiple ways that the court may seek the payments from the individual, or they may issue a bench warrant to bring them in front of the judge.
If You Think You Have An Active Warrant
You may or may not be alerted about a bench warrant. In most cases, though, a bench warrant can come as a total surprise. You may be completely unaware of your legal trouble until you are unexpectedly brought into custody.
If you believe that you have a bench warrant after violating your probation, missing a court appearance, or not making court-ordered payments, contact First Coast Criminal Defense. We can look into your case further and check for any active warrants on your behalf. If we find that you do have a bench warrant, we can help you take the necessary steps to reduce the potential consequences. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team with any legal concerns or matters you have.
Contact us today by calling (904) 474-3115!