What to Do If You Have an Outstanding Warrant in Georgia

Outstanding warrants in Georgia are more than minor inconveniences. If you have an outstanding bench warrant in Georgia, then you could be picked up and taken to jail during even a routine traffic stop. Instead of hoping an outstanding warrant will go away, contact Moffitt Law, LLC, to speak with our LaGrange criminal defense lawyer about your case.

Types of Warrants

There are several types of warrants in Georgia:

Bench warrant. Judges issue a bench warrant in Georgia for failing to attend a required court hearing.
Arrest warrant. A judge can issue an arrest warrant if the police present sufficient evidence that you probably committed a crime. This warrant gives the police the power to arrest you.

Grand jury warrant. The district attorney might take a case to the grand jury. If the jury believes there is probable cause that you committed a crime, then they issue a grand jury warrant.

Why You Want to Address an Active Warrant

A bench warrant confers on the police the power to immediately arrest someone. (Georgia Code § 17-7-90.) That means that you can be picked up anywhere in Georgia if you have an encounter with the police. For example, an officer might stop you for speeding. They run a check to see if you have any outstanding warrants, and they see that a judge issued a bench warrant two months ago. The officer will go ahead and arrest you.

Police can also arrest people at home or at work. There are a few limits. A valid bench warrant provides the authority to make an immediate arrest.

For these reasons, you must not ignore an outstanding warrant. Work with an attorney before you get picked up by the police.

How Long Will You Be in Jail For a Bench Warrant?

Once arrested, defendants are taken to jail. The amount of time you spend in jail for a bench warrant will depend on your case.

Some defendants are in jail until they appear before a judge, who could then release them. Other defendants will need to pay bail to secure their release.

You could be in jail for a matter of days or possibly even weeks. Everything depends on your case.

How a LaGrange Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

Proactively reach out to an attorney. There is no reason to try and resolve an outstanding warrant on your own. The police do not let defendants talk their way out of a warrant. Instead, you need experienced legal help.

Our firm can:

Confirm the existence of the warrant. You might not be entirely sure there is a bench warrant out for your arrest. We can talk with law enforcement to find out. You should not call yourself, since that can tip off the police to your location.
Contact the court. We might reach out to the court to verify the existence of a bench warrant.
Negotiate bail with the district attorney ahead of time. This can speed up your release from jail once you are ultimately taken into custody. We can even look into getting a bond lined up for you.
Try to resolve the underlying criminal matter. If you have an outstanding arrest or grand jury warrant, we can begin the process of resolving the underlying criminal charges.
Arrange a time to turn yourself in. We can work to make sure you are not arrested at work or in front of your children, which can be traumatic.

What to Avoid Doing

Anyone subject to an outstanding warrant can make errors that will ultimately hurt their case:

Flee from police. That is a good way to pick up an additional criminal charge.
Attempt to talk their way out of a warrant. You might have had a good reason for failing to appear at a hearing. But the police are not interested. They have a duty to execute the bench warrant, and nothing you say will really matter. Also, if you face an arrest or grand jury warrant, you want to say as little as possible, since your statements could be used against you in a prosecution.
Turn yourself in. Although you shouldn’t flee, there are disadvantages to immediately turning yourself in. Coordinate with a criminal defense lawyer first. We can possibly limit the amount of time you spend in jail by working out arrangements for a bond.

Speak with a LaGrange Criminal Defense Attorney Today

Moffitt Law, LLC, is the firm to contact if you have any type of outstanding warrant. Contact us to schedule a consultation. We serve the 30240 zip code and nearby communities.