1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Laws
  4. Facts About California Bench Warrants

Facts About California Bench Warrants

A California Bench Warrant, or body attachments, means simply that the warrant is issued by a Judge. The word “bench” refers to Judges who are bench warrant issuing authorities. There are many reasons for issuing bench warrants. These include, but are not limited to, failure to appear in court and failure to take court-ordered actions, like paying a fine or attending a class. When a bench warrant is issued, it requires the immediate arrest of the subject. A person who is arrested may well need a bail bond to stay out of jail. Contacting a bail bondsman along with a good criminal attorney are the first two steps for anyone served with a bench warrant.

Defendants who are served with a bench warrant want to know “can a bench warrant be dropped?” The answer to that question is a clear yes. A good California criminal defense attorney can appear in court and get that bench warrant dropped. He or she will also perform a bench warrant check to make certain that all outstanding warrants are taken care of at one time. A defendant who has been served with a bench warrant needs to contact an attorney prior to his court appearance so a proper defense can be prepared which will result in the dismissal of the bench warrant. A criminal defense attorney will clear & remove California bench warrants. That is the first step in representing a Defendant.

The reasons for bench warrants or so-called body attachments being issued are many. The most common one is the consequences of failing to appear FTA (failure to appear) in court as ordered. It does not matter what the reason. If a person is ordered to appear in court, there are consequences for disobeying that order. The result is a bench warrant for the person’s arrest. Judges expect people to appear in court when ordered. It is the basis for the system to work and properly function.

There are several more reasons for issuing bench warrants. These reasons for bench warrants involve the failure of a person to do something that they were ordered to do. One prime area is a failure to pay money. It can be a fine, traffic ticket, child support, or any other matter where a person is ordered by a court to pay money and fails to do so. It can also involve failure to comply with the terms of probation. A bench warrant, in general, can be issued for failure to obey any previous court order. Just like the consequences of failing to appear FTA, individuals who do not obey court orders do so at their own peril.

One question that is frequently asked involves California bench warrant expiration. When a bench warrant is issued, law enforcement officers will attempt to serve the Defendant. If he or she cannot be found, the bench warrant will be returned to the court. However, it does not expire on its own. It will remain valid and years later a person stopped for a traffic violation may find that when the officer runs their record the old bench warrant appears. It can then be served. It is possible that in order to clear old records bench warrant issuing authorities may cancel old warrants, but there is no requirement to do so. So the problem of the issue of a California bench warrant expiration that most likely never goes away is one that a person should resolve by seeking legal counsel who could get the matter taken care of in a way that favors the Defendant. Attorneys know how to clear & remove California Bench Warrants.

When a person hires a criminal attorney, it is always a good idea to do a bench warrant check. If anything appears, the attorney can take care of the old warrant along with the current representation. An attorney who knows the ins and outs of California Bench Warrants can provide invaluable services, such as answering the question can a bench warrant be dropped. And then making it happen by getting the bench warrant dismissed. The facts surrounding California bench warrants may sound complicated and confusing, but to a good criminal lawyer who knows the system, they can be safely navigated to the benefit of their clients.