California Warrants – Reacalling bench warrants overview

A bench warrant is a formal order that a judge issues when a person fails to make a scheduled court appearance or is otherwise in “contempt of court.” This means that the person has willfully failed to follow a court order, thus disrupting the justice system. See California Penal Code Section 166. Once a bench warrant is issued, law enforcement has the authority to immediately arrest the person named in the warrant and bring him/her before the court. While an arrest warrant is issued for suspected criminal misconduct, a bench warrant is issued for willfully disregarding or disobeying the court’s authority.

A bench warrant is typically issued in situations where a person:

• Fails to make a mandatory court appearance;
• Fails to pay any court-imposed fines; or
• Fails to abide by any other court order (e.g. a term of probation).

Being held in contempt of court because of a failure to appear in court or abide by a court order may bring with it certain penalties that include:

• Misdemeanor criminal conviction on ones record;
• Imprisonment in county jail for a period of up to 1 year,
• Imprisonment in state prison for a period of up to 3 years,
• Fines of up to $10,000;
• A probation violation;
• Suspension of California drivers license

At Wallin & Klarich, our attorneys can assist you in avoiding these repercussions by helping you clear the bench warrant that has been issued against you. It is possible to incur outstanding warrants for simply forgetting a court date or not clearly understanding a court order. As a result, many people do not realize that they have a warrant out for their arrest. Therefore, we will work to have your bench warrant recalled and quashed. With over 30 years of experience in helping clients overcome their criminal charges, we will ensure that you receive the best legal representation possible. Call us today at 888-749-0034 or visit us online at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.