Warrant for arrest: If you have a warrant for an arrest for property damage of a hit and run. But have lived outside the U.S. for 6 years and now wants to go back. Will you be arrested if you fly to the U.S. to a state that the warrant is not issued?
Antonio’s answer: If you have an open warrant in any state there is a strong possibility that you will be taken into custody when you exit the airplane and extradited back to the state where the warrant was issued. People taken into custody in this situation do not see a judge until they arrive back in the jurisdiction which issued the warrant and transportation is often by van with many stops along the way. I would strongly recommend contacting an attorney in the jurisdiction which issued the warrant.
How much does it cost to hire a criminal defense lawyer and how much do you usually have to pay upfront?: My nephew was arrested Friday night on a warrant for something in 2012. The company that is supposedly the complainant says that there is no money missing. There were 2 late deposits. But, all are accounted for. The person that filed the charged has since been fired from that company. They didn't even know he had filed the complaint on their behalf. Meanwhile, my nephew has been sitting in jail in Baldwin County, AL waiting to be taken to Pensacola, FL. He had a court session last night where the judge told him it looked like the charges were going to be lifted. They were releasing him today and he could just attend a hearing in Pensacola. Today the Escambia Cty Sheriff's Office said that was not the case. They said he would be transferred when they could get to him.
Antonio’s answer: There is not enough information in this question for it to be answered properly. Attorney's rates can vary greatly depending upon a number of factors such as the charges that the defendant is facing, the experience of the attorney and the financial situation of the client. My best advice would be to contact a local defense attorney for a consultation. Most attorneys offer free case evaluations and would be happy to speak with you confidentially about your nephew's situation and provide a fee quote.
If I have a DUI and am on BOT and get a ticket for driving with a suspended license (knowingly) can I get hardship license?: I have a DUI and am on BOT and I got a ticket for driving with a suspended license (knowingly) and my appointment to get my hardship license is April 28, 2014 but i got a ticket for driving with a suspended license during that time. I was advised I would not get the hardship license by the DMV. Is this true? I need to do whatever it takes to be able to get the hardship license. I need to be able to drive to and from work. I have had a lot of complications not being able to drive for the 3 month probationary period and was already caught once driving. I can't afford to have a suspended license for a year or have my hardship license revoked. Are there any attorneys that specifically SPECIALIZE in LICENSES in FLORIDA that can help me? Please contact me and GENUINELY tell me if you can help me
Antonio’s answer: I beleive that you have made a mistake in not hiring a DUI lawyer as soon as you were arrested. I deal with the DMV on behalf of clients all of the time. and regularly attend hardship hearings on the behalf of my clients. You need to be mindful at this point that you now have "two strikes" on the way towards becoming a habitual traffic offfender. DO NOT DRIVE until you have either obtained a valid hardship or have your full driving privileges restored. If a person is arrested for DWLS, their license (once the are eligible for one) is often suspended for several months as a component of the resolution of the case so it is quite reasonanble that being arrested for DWLS right after being arrested for DUI may prevent you from obtaining a hardship license. Also, be mindful that your vehicle could be subject to seizure if you are caught driving on a suspension stemming from a DUI conviction. Your best shot at this point is probably to hire a lawyer and have him or her set hearing with the DMV to contest the issue of probable cause for the arrest. If an attorney is successful in proving to the DMV that there was not probable casue for the DUI arrest, then your full driving privileges will be restored.