What to do about a bench warrant for failure to appear?
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What to do about a bench warrant for failure to appear?
I missed my court date for driving under suspension. I got the dates mixed up and I thought the court date was on a later date than what it was. I then recieved a letter in the mail saying that I had a warrant out for my arrest. I looked up my warrant and it said I have a bench warrant for $300. I want to take care of this and move forward. I have never done any time; the most I have ever done is get a seatbelt ticket. I don’t feel im a bad citizen and I’m young so the thought of going to jail even for a small amount of time scares me. How can I fix this?
Asked on May 30, 2012 under Criminal Law, Ohio
Answers:
Kevin Bessant / Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
A bench warrant is often issued when a person has failed to appear for their designated court date. Some courts issue warrant fees which often can be waived if the Judge so chooses. While on warrant status, you can be arrested at any point, so it is always best to clear this up sooner than later. Some courts will allow you to walk in to court and go before the judge to address the warrant once the warrant fee is paid and a new court date is set. Other courts may require you to turn yourself in to local law enforcement before a new court date is set. Call the court in which the warrant has been issued and ask them what specific steps are required to clear up the warrant and obtain a new court date to address the driving under suspension.
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