When Do Arrest Warrants Expire?
Ignore it and it will go away. Sometimes, this saying is accurate. Negative credit information is a good example. Eventually, most negative information, even bankruptcies, falls off credit reports.
However, as a general rule, ignoring problems and hoping they will go away is a very poor way to go through life. Usually, the opposite is true. The longer you put things off, the more daunting the problems become. Old arrest warrants are a good example. Frequently, a phone call to Fizer Bonding Company (bail bonds clarksville tn) has a very good chance of taking care of an old warrant. But if the warrant remains active, it can often rear its ugly heads at the worst possible time.
This issue come up quite a bit. In many large cities, as many as one in seven
people have outstanding warrants.
Types of
Arrest Warrants
Most arrests are warrantless arrests. If police officers have probable cause, they do not need warrants. Sometimes, they file warrants later, but they have already been served. Other types of warrants, however, are not served right away.
These are the ones that perpetually remain in law enforcement databases.
Judges sometimes authorize arrest warrants following lengthy investigations. That’s especially common in serious crimes like interstate drug or sex trafficking. But statistically speaking, there are only a few of these warrants.
Many outstanding warrants are bench warrants. This is the most common type of warrant and will not just “go away”. Judges issue these warrants if the person refuses to comply with a court order. Some examples include:
- Failing to attend a mandatory hearing,
- Missing a payment or other deadline, and
- Ignoring a family law order, like a child visitation schedule.
Fortunately, Bench warrants are the easiest types of warrants to take care of. Most judges give people a few days to comply before they issue warrants. For example, if Jamie misses a payment deadline on Monday, if she pays on Tuesday, there may not be a warrant at all.
Most other outstanding warrants are probation violation warrants. In most jurisdictions, there are basically two types of probation violations:
- Absconders : A significant number of probationers plead guilty, attend an orientation session, and never do anything else. Judges usually authorize these warrants rather quickly.
- Offenders : These violations are much like the missed payment warrants discussed above. If probationers miss classes or fall behind on community service hours, probation officers usually give defendants some time to catch up before they request warrants.
All these warrants are multi-jurisdictional. Most importantly to know is that any peace officer can arrest anyone for any kind of active warrant.
Can a Warrant Expire
?
In a word, NO. Most crimes, except murder and some types of sexual assault, have statutes of limitations. After a few years, the state can no longer prosecute individuals for crimes they committed in the past.
So, it’s little wonder that many people think arrest warrants are the same. But there is only one thing that cancels an arrest warrant, and you guessed it, that thing is the person’s arrest. It is not too unusual for the aforementioned warrants, especially bench warrants and probation violation warrants, to remain active for months, years, or even decades.
In almost all cases, “John Law” (aka- police officers and the judicial system) eventually catches up with fugitives from justice. Frequently, with regard to arrest warrants, “John Law” simply sits and waits.
Most felony warrants are served after traffic stops. Even the most diligent drivers cannot travel more than a few miles without breaking at least one traffic law. Some common ones include:
- Rolling through a traffic control device,
- Failing to stop prior to exiting a private driveway,
- Having an expired inspection sticker,
- Speeding, and
- Making an illegal lane change.
These infractions need not be egregious. Courts have upheld traffic stops if the defendant was only travelling one or two mph over the limit.
During the stop, the officer runs the driver’s plate number and license number. If a warrant pops up, even if it is from another state, out come the handcuffs. Most U.S. states, and most Canadian provinces, belong to the Drivers’ License Compact. Even the states which do not technically belong to the DLC usually share information informally. That’s especially true with regard to adverse information, like arrest warrants.
The interstate DLC also means that all arrest warrants from all jurisdictions go into a master computer. These warrants pop up if the person interfaces with the government in any way. That could mean applying for:
- Drivers’ license renewal,
- Passport or visa,
- Government benefits, like workers’ comp or Social Security,
- Medical care at a county hospital, and
- Certain government-issued licenses.
About the only place warrants do not pop up is at polling places. Even if the jurisdiction requires a drivers’ license or other similar ID, workers simply perform visual inspections. There is no computer check.
Dealing with Old Arrest Warrants
Voluntary surrender is usually a good way to take care of a warrant. Warrants are multi-jurisdictional, but voluntary surrender is not. Generally, you cannot turn yourself in at a Montgomery jail if you have a Robertson County warrant. Additionally, police substations usually do not process people who voluntarily surrender, unless the charge is very serious.
Most people with outstanding warrants have traffic warrants. This is why you should not just go and turn yourself in. It is best to call Fizer Bonding Company first if you think you might have an outstanding warrant in Robertson or Montgomery Counties. They can often easily verify for you if this is true. If you do indeed have a warrant, Fizer Bonding Company can help you to take care of it. Frequently, defendants do not need to check into jail or do anything else other than show up in court when the case goes back on the docket.
That option may or may not be available with regard to other bench warrants. Frequently, if the defendant misses a court date, the judge revokes the existing bond and sets a cash bond. As the name implies, the defendant must post the entire amount in cash. Talking to a bondsman first with Fizer Bonding Company can help understand the bail bond process.
For more information about outstanding arrest warrants and a FREE Bail Bond Consultation contact Fizer Bonding Company (bail bonds clarksville tn). Fizer Bonding Company is a proud member of the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents. For more info about Fizer Bonding Company bail bonds, click here.
“We’ll get your tail outta jail!”
Fizer Bonding Company in Montgomery County Tennessee
(931) 449-9351
Fizer Bonding Company in Robertson County Tennessee
(615) 667-1109
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