Florida Ticket Firm helps people who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of being subject to a bench warrant, capias, writ of bodily attachment, or other arrest warrants. A bench warrant is a court order issued by a judge for someone’s arrest. In other words, a bench warrant is an arrest warrant.

Once a bench warrant is issued for your arrest, you are a fugitive from the law, and any police officer, deputy sheriff, state trooper, or other law enforcement officer may put you under arrest and in jail.

Bench warrants are called “bench warrants” because they are oftentimes issued by a judge from the judge’s bench in open court when someone fails to appear (failure to appear) in court on their own recognizance for a court hearing or court appearance as required by a Notice to Appear or as otherwise previously ordered.

In order to avoid the consequences of a bench warrant, you must immediately contact an experienced attorney; failure to do so is one of the most common reasons an accused person faces dire consequences, leaving the defendant without options.

What Happens After a Bench Warrant is Issued?

Judges do not have patience for a person who ignores required court hearings or mandatory court appearances. A Florida court judge will ensure your attention by issuing a bench warrant for your arrest to guarantee the judge is not sitting around waiting for you at the next court date; rather, you’ll be sitting in jail waiting for the judge.

When a bench warrant is outstanding for your arrest, you may be taken into custody any day of the week, any time of day or night, wherever you might be found. Your mugshot may as well be on a “Wanted” poster throughout not only the state of Florida but also many jurisdictions throughout the United States when an arrest warrant has been issued with your name on it.

Many police departments and sheriff departments in Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, St. Lucie County and Martin County have groups of police officers, and deputy sheriffs assigned the job of finding people who have arrest warrants, arresting them, and putting them in jail.

After someone is arrested pursuant to a bench warrant, like any arrest warrant, they have to sit in jail and wait to see the judge. All because of failing to appear in court! A bench warrant from a judge means serious business and no person wants to live in fear of being caught by officers as they go about their daily life.

No defendant has to face charges alone. If a warrant is out for your arrest, don’t be that person who buries their head in the sand. Be the person who takes responsibility for their mistakes, calls an attorney, and sets the record straight.

Can You Pay Off a Bench Warrant?

To avoid finding out how local law enforcement treats individuals with criminal charges, you may be tempted to call the police station and pay the bail on your own, receiving a new court date. However, criminal cases are serious, and although you can potentially avoid jail time on your own, you don’t want to mess around with potential legal action.

If a judge or officer believes you may be a flight risk, you may be refused bail. Given probable cause, the judge may ensure you appear in court by not giving you the option to skip out on future court dates, instead taking your violation as a sign you’d be better off in jail.

How Long Does It Take for a Bench Warrant to be Issued?

When a defendant fails to show up for their hearing, the judge signs the bench warrant. Once the bench warrant is issued, it is sent to the county sheriff, where a law enforcement officer will upload it to the statewide system. This process, from issuing to potential arrest, can take several days. However, do not wait to contact a lawyer if you miss a court date! Many arrests could be easily avoided if the person accused of criminal activity simply takes action immediately.

When someone asks you your cell number, you don’t want the answer to be the room number you’re locked up in rather than your ten-digit mobile phone number. Let our South Florida criminal lawyers help you try to keep your freedom.

We Can Help!

Being arrested is not pleasant, particularly if it happens in front of your spouse, your children, your family, your friends or your co-workers. The image of you being dragged off in handcuffs in the back of a police car because of a bench warrant is not an image soon to be forgotten by your loved ones, or you for that matter. Worse yet, in this day and age of cell phone video, someone might take a video of your embarrassing arrest, hands handcuffed behind your back, and you being led off by a police officer to jail in the back of a police car.

With video, no one has to simply rely on bad memories of the arrest warrant process, and that humiliating episode can be played back frame after frame after demoralizing frame again and again. You do not want to have to experience being arrested and have to relive the bad memories of your bench warrant over and over again.

If you have a bench warrant issued for your arrest, do not wait. Call Florida Ticket Firm’s experienced traffic ticket lawyers in South Florida, today. We know exactly how to deal with a warrant that could endanger your sense of safety, livelihood, and reputation.

A bench warrant seeking your arrest is serious, even if the judge issues one mistakenly, for the warrant is valid until a warrant removal process is complete. For some, the seriousness of the failure to appear does not sink in until it’s too late, and the discomfort of the handcuffs, booking procedure, and locked cell doors are the first wake-up calls, confirming they should’ve contacted an experienced criminal defense attorney much sooner.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Let Florida Ticket Firm’s experienced criminal defense attorneys take over and attempt to make sure an already bad situation does not get even worse for you.

If a judge issues a bench warrant for your arrest in Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, St. Lucie County, or Martin County, DON’T WAIT to be arrested by local law enforcement. Call Florida Ticket Firm NOW toll-free for a FREE CONSULTATION with one of our knowledgeable and experienced bench warrant defense lawyers in South Florida.

Take control of the situation through a criminal defense lawyer before the situation takes control of you, landing you in jail and losing your freedom before your court date. Reach out to Florida Ticket Firm and take steps toward a peaceful, secure future for you and your family. We’re here for you.