What To Do If There Is A Warrant For Your Arrest
An arrest warrant is a court order for a person’s arrest. When police encounter the person named in the warrant, they are required to place the person under arrest. Police have no discretion and must comply with the warrant. This can occur under a variety of circumstances.
For instance, when police conduct a traffic stop, after obtaining the motorist’s license and registration, police report this information to dispatch to verify its accuracy and validity, but more importantly, to check the person’s name in law enforcement databases for the existence of any arrest warrants.
This is standard police procedure. If a person has an arrest warrant, police must take him into custody. This can also occur if the person subject to the warrant is a passenger in a vehicle, visits the Registry or Department of Motor Vehicles to renew a driver’s license, or encounters the police on the street. In some circumstances, police have special units or task forces that search for people who have outstanding arrest warrants.
Once arrested, the person must be brought before the Court that issued the warrant as soon as possible to have the warrant vacated. After the warrant is vacated, the Court will decide whether to release the person on bail or to order pretrial detention pending the resolution of the underlying case.
If you have reason to believe there is a warrant for your arrest, you should call an attorney immediately. Once you retain counsel, you can self-surrender before the Court to have the warrant vacated. Retaining a criminal defense lawyer before you self-surrender is very important.
Experienced counsel will contact the court beforehand to obtain information about the warrant, related criminal charges and underlying case. Experienced counsel will also contact the prosecutor’s office to advise of their client’s representation and intention to self-surrender on the warrant.
Your attorney may also be able to negotiate the terms of your bail upon this self-surrender to ensure your release. If you do not self-surrender, you risk being arrested at the most inopportune time and place, which could lead to your incarceration.
Avoid an unwanted arrest, the stress and anxiety of being held in jail and maximize the chance of your release on bail by retaining an experienced criminal defense lawyer. If you think you have a warrant for your arrest, contact Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer, John L. Calcagni, III today for a free consultation.