How to Handle an Outstanding Warrant

You don’t have to be a wanted felon to have an outstanding warrant. Most outstanding warrants come from minor offenses, such as unpaid traffic tickets, failure to pay court-ordered child support, or noncompliance with a probation condition. If you discover you have an outstanding warrant, it’s important to take action immediately. Failing to address an outstanding warrant could lead to your arrest and jail time.

Wait, Why Do I Have an Outstanding Warrant?

Outstanding warrants are more common than you might think. The court can issue a warrant for your arrest if you fail to:

• timely pay a traffic ticket, fine, or court costs
• appear at a court hearing
• comply with probation terms (such as not attending counseling or failing a drug test), or
• comply with a court order (such as court-ordered child support or a subpoena).

Let’s say you got a speeding ticket and planned to fight it but forgot. At the bottom of most traffic tickets or citations, the language directs you to pay the fine or appear in court by a specific date—and failure to do so can result in issuance of a warrant for your arrest. While forgetting to pay a ticket or remember a court date might seem like a small thing, think again. The court can issue a bench warrant for your arrest, and the police can take you into custody at any time.

Ignoring That Speeding Ticket Won't Make It Go Away

Taking care of that “minor” traffic ticket or ordinance violation immediately is important. Not addressing it won’t make it go away. If you can’t afford to pay a ticket, contact the court and ask what options are available. Some courts allow payment plans or even community service in lieu of payment.

What Happens If I Don’t Address an Outstanding Warrant?

Once you have an outstanding warrant, even if police aren’t actively looking for you, serious consequences are still looming. The outstanding warrant will show up in law enforcement and other government agencies’ databases, and you could find yourself unprepared for the consequences.

Arrest and jail. If the police pull you over for traffic violation, the officer may conduct a warrant check. Upon finding an outstanding warrant, the officer can immediately arrest and book you in jail. You might have to wait overnight or a couple days in jail before appearing before a judge.

Bail revoked. If you’re out on bail and failed to appear in court for a hearing, the judge may modify your release conditions by imposing new conditions or increasing your bail amount, or revoke your bail altogether and require you to await trial in jail.

Separate crime. In some states, failure to appear at a court hearing without good cause can result in separate criminal charges that are in addition to those imposed for the underlying offense. A court can also impose sanctions or jail time for contempt (which is failure to obey a court order).

License suspension. Even without court or police contact, the court can order suspension of your driver’s license, professional license, or other government-issued licenses.

How Do I Find Out If I Have an Outstanding Warrant?

You can usually find out if you have an outstanding warrant by going on the court or law enforcement agency’s website in the city, county, judicial district, or state where the offense occurred or where you live. Typically, the site will allow you to search specifically for warrants by last name or you’ll see a list of people with outstanding warrants. You can also call the court clerk’s office or contact an attorney to assist you.

How Do I Handle an Outstanding Warrant?

Instead of waiting to be arrested, you have several options. It’s best to take action or consult an attorney immediately.

If you failed to pay a citation and didn’t appear in court, you might be able to go on the court website and pay the fine and any additional fees and interest to resolve the issue. If this option isn’t available, you can try contacting the court and ask to schedule a new hearing to address the warrant. You can also turn yourself in to the law enforcement agency or court to avoid being arrested in public. An attorney can assist you with any of these options.

Contact an Attorney

Ignoring a traffic citation, a court summons, or even a civil court order (like child support) can have significant consequences. Failure to obey a court order can result in a bench warrant for your arrest. You could land in jail, face fines and penalties, or end up with multiple criminal charges. Addressing the underlying issue immediately can prevent the issuance of a warrant. But if you already have an outstanding warrant, contact an attorney or the court to find out how to best resolve the issue and avoid arrest and jail time.

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