Don’t let a traffic violation become the cause for your arrest. You can be taken into court custody on a traffic ticket warrant if you failed to appear in court for a traffic violation or missed paying a traffic ticket. If you learn a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest due to a traffic violation, there are things you can and should do to get the warrant lifted.
What Happens When You Get a Bench Warrant?
A bench warrant California is a direct order from the judge for your arrest, typically because you failed to pay a required ticket and/or missed a required court appearance for a traffic violation. When a bench warrant is out in your name, you will be taken into court custody if you are pulled over by a police officer.
Once you are in court, the judge can either release you with a warning or take you into custody. This decision depends on your flight risk, your criminal history and other factors.
How Can I Clear My Bench Warrant?
If you’re wondering how to get rid of a bench warrant, you should start researching traffic lawyers so you have an advocate who can negotiate your case in court. Once you hire an attorney, he or she should accompany you to court to clear your warrant rather than waiting until you get picked up by an officer. The longer you wait to resolve this matter, the steeper your penalties will generally be. You should have a traffic lawyer at your side when you go before the judge. He or she may use some of the following defenses on your behalf:
- You never received a notice of a court date.
- The bench warrant is for someone else with the same name or a similar name.
- You were not informed that charges were filed against you.
- The bench warrant is an error as you have complied with the court conditions.
- You were ill or hospitalized.
After the warrant is lifted, the judge may assign you a new court date, impose a fine, or come to another judgment.
How To Avoid a Bench Warrant for Traffic Ticket
Of course the best plan is to not get the warrant in the first place. If you have been issued a fine for a traffic violation and can’t afford to pay, go to court anyway. Not only does this avoid a warrant, judges tend to be more sympathetic towards those who come to court and explain their financial hardships. They are often willing to offer a payment plan or alternative to the fine.
If a bench warrant has been issued in your name, don’t go it alone. Search for a traffic lawyer in your area who can help you understand your options within the law.
Traffic court lawyers have extensive experience with the California traffic court system and can help you avoid steep fines and jail time if you have been issued a bench warrant. Avoid attempting to resolve this issue without the advice of a qualified attorney.
