What to do if you have a warrant in Utah?
A warrant is an order signed by a judge that allows a police officer to arrest you and hold you in jail until you appear in court. Warrants are ordered for different amounts of money depending on the seriousness of the charges. If the charge is very serious, or you have missed court dates in the past, the judge can also issue a “no bail” warrant.
In cases where the warrant is for something very minor and the amount is very small, an officer usually will not take the time to arrest you and transport you to jail. However, if your warrant is for something more serious, and the amount is a little higher, then most officers will arrest you on the spot and bring you to the nearest jail. If this happens, the only way to get out without waiting hours or days to see a judge is to post bail.
If you learn you have a warrant out for your arrest, you should contact an attorney immediately. In most cases, the attorney will be able to look up the warrant and tell you exactly what it is for and how much it is. He will also be able to tell you if it is something you can take care of yourself or if it is something for which you should hire a lawyer.
If it is something you can take care of yourself (like a traffic ticket), you should be able to contact the court by phone to set a court date to see the judge. If it is something that should be handled by an attorney, the attorney may be able to have the warrant recalled, or arrange the best time for you to appear in court on the warrant. Either way, until the warrant is cleared, you should drive carefully to avoid any traffic tickets and you may want to avoid any unnecessary airline flights. A warrant will always remain active until the judge recalls it or until you are arrested and booked into jail.
Contact the skilled legal team at Intermountain Legal today
If you need to talk to a criminal attorney about a warrant, or if you would like a free consultation, you can contact us immediately. Attorney Steven K. Burton is known for giving straightforward advice and for using his knowledge as a former prosecutor to help people navigate the difficult criminal court system. You can contact us by phone at 801-990-4200 or by filling our quick online form.