If you’ve ever found yourself on the receiving end of an arrest warrant, you know that it is not a pleasant situation. No matter if you are guilty of the crime you’re accused of, or not – getting arrested is a whole lot of unpleasantness.
Just the idea of sitting in the county jail for days or even months until the trial is stressful and brings a whole host of unresolved issues, such as your job, your family, your bills, etc. But it doesn’t have to be like that.
Bail bondsman agency Bail Co recommends doing the following when you learn that there is a warrant for your arrest.
What Does It Mean When There’s a Warrant for Your Arrest?
Plain and simple, it means that the police are looking for you actively. A police department has issued a warrant for the officers to bring you into custody until the legal dispute that you are a part of is resolved – or until you post bail to be released until your court date.
Even though the police may not actually be actively looking for you – knocking on your door, looking for you in places they know you will be, they can and will arrest you if and when they find you. Even if they stop you for an unrelated issue, like speeding; if you have an outstanding warrant in the state, they will likely arrest you.
What Can You Do?
When you learn that there is a warrant, there is not much you can do about it – you will be arrested and you will need to appear before the court to defend yourself against the charges.
What you can do, however, is prepare for this eventuality ahead of time. First and foremost, contact a family member or a close friend. This way, someone close to you will know that you’ve been arrested and that you will need some help.
Learn More About Your Warrant
If you’re unsure about the charges against you, there is one place where you can learn more about the charges, the warrant and potential next steps for you – bail bonding agencies. These agencies have information about outstanding warrants and can give you more information about the charges.
What’s more, they can tell you which specific police department issued a warrant, as well as help you arrange a bail bond if needed.
Consider Your Bail Options
If you don’t want to spend extended time in jail, you should probably arrange your bail bond with an agency. Most bail bonding agencies have staff working around the clock, and can help you handle bail in a very short time.
However, if you don’t have the time to handle all of this, your family members or close friends should be able to help you with that. Even better, bail bonding agencies can tell you if the bond is even necessary. Some warrants do not require bail for your release – you just need to go to the police and talk to an officer.
Consult an Attorney
Even if you are not guilty, having an experienced attorney on your side is probably a good idea. If you have time before being arrested, reach out to a lawyer and share all the information you have with them. They should be able to get you the best deal, depending on your situation.
A skilled defense attorney can make a huge difference in your case, so make sure you find someone with a good reputation and plenty of experience.
Turning yourself in before you can be arrested by the police is a great way to show the police that you will cooperate with them and it can help your case – including reducing or waiving your bail completely.