Warrants
Warrants are court orders issued to all law enforcement requiring the arrest of a person who is wanted by the court. Sometimes law enforcement may go to the last known address of a person with a warrant in an attempt to find him. If law enforcement comes upon a person who has a warrant out for them, they will usually be immediately arrested and incarcerated.
Warrants are issued for a variety of reasons but the most common reason is when the client fails to appear at a court date; this can be a failure to appear at the initial court date or at a court date farther into the case. Other reasons for warrants to issue include failing to report to a probation officer, failure to complete a court ordered program, failure to pay fines and failure to follow other court requirements.
On occasion a warrant will be issued by the court at the request of the District Attorney without advising the client. This usually occurs after the District Attorney has completed an investigation and has decided that the client needs to be taken into custody right away either because the crime is serious or there is a concern that the client may leave the area. For many cases however, the client is sent a letter and told to appear at a certain date, time and place. Failure to appear at the time indicated on the letter can cause a warrant to issue. Most clients are issued tickets and told to appear in court on a certain date.
You should have an attorney with you on a felony warrant as well since in certain circumstances he may be able to get you released without bail and with a new date to appear. Generally speaking it is a better idea to turn yourself in on warrant WITH YOUR ATTORNEY PRESENT because the court looks favorably upon that. In addition, in most cases the stress of having a warrant hang over your head subjecting you to arrest at anytime is usually not worth it.
Contact Orange County defense attorney Katie Walsh if you need help with Warrants or any other criminal matter.