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Traveling internationally with an outstanding US warrant

Asked over 2 years ago - Houston, TX

i was on probation after defferred adjudication was snetenced for a felony. it was shoplifting case. while serving probation my h1 visa expired and the lawyer i consulted said i had to leave US to take care of visa issue. i was never allowed to come back and since i left 4 hrs of community service pending, the judge issued a warrant on me. i am leaving in my home country since then (july 2008) but want to know if the warrant will show up when traveling internationally to other countries (not US)

Additional information
thanks to both for your kind answers. would you have any recommendations on how to handle the outstanding warrant issue? i cant get into the US because of that so that eliminates the option of being present to solve it.

the case is in houston-texas. i had very bad experience with a lawyer i hired which did not advise me correctly, specially with the deffered adjudication consequences and the visa issue. i cahnged lawyers at the end, but the new one had a political difference with the judge (he is democrat and judge conservative and had previous feuds i did not know about). would you be able to recommend a lawyer i can use?...

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Attorney answers (4)

John M. Kaman

Reputation Level 20

Answered over 2 years ago. Criminal Defense Attorney in San Francisco, CA.

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With all due respect for Mr. Bailey, other countries could care less whether you have a US warrant, unless it's terror related. The airlines check everyone's background on this terror data list long before you ever get on the airplane. The list is maintained by the TSA but you can't find out if you are on it until you're nabbed.

John M. Kaman

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Rosario Stornello

Reputation Level 11

Answered over 2 years ago. Criminal Defense Attorney in Houston, TX.

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A lawyer can be retained to speak with the prosecutor and the Court about your particular circumstance. Since it appears that the warrant will never be executed since you are not in the USA a resolution maybe struck. Every so often a review is done of old outstanding warrants and those not executed can be dismissed. Bottom line is it can't hurt to ask the Court and prosecutor to try to resolve the probelm

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Howard Woodley Bailey

Reputation Level 19

Answered over 2 years ago. Criminal Defense Attorney in Newark, NJ.

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If you were coming into the US, the answer would most likely be Yes. If you are not entering the US, it depends on how in depth either of the other countries involved are in conducting record checks. Good luck.

DISCLAIMER
I do not practice law in your State. This answer is provided solely for informational purposes only. This answer does not constitute legal advice, create an attorney-client relationship, or constitute attorney advertising.

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Linda Friedman Ramirez

Reputation Level 14

Answered over 2 years ago. Federal Crime Lawyer in Saint Petersburg, FL.

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Why don't you try and see if you can get the 4 hours community service converted to a fine or some other disposition so that you can have the probation successfully terminated.?

Particularly if you applied and were denied permission to reenter the US. Courts are so cash-strapped that they might like the idea of having you pay a fine. You would need to hire an attorney in the state where this occurred. ALSO and very important since I don't know what state this occurred and can't advise you, YOU SHOULD NOT DO ANYTHING without consult ing an attorney first. Again, do not undertake to contact the Court directly. Consult an attorney.

It is likely that the State is not seeking your extradition under these facts. But you should first consult an attorney knowledgeble to see if she/he thinks that it might be possible to get the warrant rescinded and the probation terminated.

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