Philadelphia Bench Warrant Search Lawyer
Police knock on the door, they say they have a Bench Warrant for your arrest. The next thing you know, you’re being hauled away by police or the sheriff’s department, not knowing what will happen next. This happens to people every day for a number of reasons, but the most common of these is a missed court date.
Anyone who has ever watched a crime television show is familiar with the infamous scene where law enforcement enters a home or business waiving a search warrant in their hand. The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees a person’s rights to be free from unauthorized and arbitrary searches and seizures, which means that law enforcement must have a warrant in order to legally search and seize you property.
Bench warrants can be issued for an array of reasons. Even failing to appear in court after being summoned for routine traffic violations can lead to a bench warrant being issued for your arrest.
What Is a Bench Warrant?
A bench warrant is a court order for the police to take you to court to see a judge. Bench warrants are normally issued when someone misses a court date or probation date. Many clients do not realize they have a bench warrant issued to them because they were never notified by the police that they were supposed to be in court. There can be a number of causes for this lack of knowledge, including the police having incorrect addresses and telephone numbers for you. Regardless of the reason, anytime a Bench Warrant is issued, you need to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
In Pennsylvania, bench warrants must be addressed within 72 hours of the time that you are picked up. This means that you can be in jail for up to 3 days before you see a judge. Even then, seeing a judge is no guarantee that the bench warrant will be lifted, and you can go home. Judges have the discretion to increase your bail to an amount you won’t be able to pay. If that happens, you’re stuck in jail until either you enter trial or plead guilty.
How Do I Resolve a Bench Warrant?
Bench warrants can be resolved the easy way or hard way. The hard way is for police to show up at your house, looking for you. The easy way is to hire a skilled attorney, and have that attorney walk you through the process. Hiring an attorney for this process will result in a lower chance that you will be held on higher bail. Simply put: hiring an attorney will likely mean you won’t be going to jail after a bench warrant is issued.
Bench Warrant Search Lawyer Philadelphia
The Criminal Defense Attorneys at The Law Offices of Greg Prosmushkin, P.C. have decades of experience handling bench warrants, and an impressive volume of contacts with local prosecutors and courts that can help speed up the bench warrant process. After our attorneys have the bench warrant lifted, we can address the underlying case. Call us for a free consultation.
This content was written on behalf of Greg Prosmushkin.