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Criminal Defense

Is a warrant for criminal contempt issued in Alabama enforceable outside Alabama? The contempt citation is for not showing up for a deposition in a civil case and was issued over 2 years ago.

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Attorney answers (3)

Reputation Level 14
Alabama will not send deputy sheriffs to San Francisco to take you back to Dixie for ignoring a depositon subpoena.
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Reputation Level 13
Yes, warrants are enforceable in every state in the U.S.
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John M. Kaman
John M. Kaman, licensed in California

Reputation Level 11
Under the full faith and credit clause of the United States Constitution, YES, a criminal warrant is valid in all 50 states. And if you are stopped for a traffic violation, AND the police computers show the warrant out of Alabama (doubtful), then the officer has the discretion to arrest you on the warrant or not. But even if they did, unless you waived extradition, extradition proceedings would have to be held here in California before you could be taken back to Alabama to face the music. But like attorney Pesta said, there is almost no chance that anyone is going to waste their time to come all the way from Alabama just to take you back on that type of a warrant. Just make sure you don't go to Alabama for a while...
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