Warrants in LA County
Do you have a warrant out for your arrest? A bench warrant or warrant out for your arrest is a very serious matter because it is an order from a Judge to the police to handcuff and arrest you and bring you to court to see the Judge for your failure to appear in court or for your failure to do what the Judge ordered you to do. We specialize in clearing up bench warrants or warrants out for your arrest. We have been successfully helping people clear up their warrants for over 25 years so they do not go to jail. If there is a bench warrant or warrant out for your arrest call (310)285-1516 to speak to a warrant lawyer for help in clearing up your warrant.
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Warrants in Los Angeles County: What They Usually Mean
In LA County, a warrant often starts the same way: a missed deadline, a missed court date, or a requirement that didn’t get completed on time. Even if you never received a courtesy notice, the court can still take action based on the date listed on the citation or court paperwork.
ou may have a warrant out for your arrest if you…
- Missed a court date for a traffic ticket or citation in LA County
- Didn’t pay a fine by the due date (or missed an extension deadline)
- Forgot to complete traffic school or another court requirement
- Had a case you thought was “handled” but it never fully closed out
- Missed a progress report, hearing, or court-ordered appearance
Call now if you want help understanding your options for handling a warrant in LA County.
Bench Warrants (Failure to Appear)
Bench warrants or warrants out for your arrest most often result from a failure to appear on your court date for a misdemeanor or felony. Judges expect you to show up for your court date and when you don’t come to your court date Judges will issue a warrant for your arrest if you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony. These warrants can pop up later when you least expect it like in background checks in a job application.
Court Compliance Warrants (Failure to complete Court Orders)
If you fail to do what the Judge ordered you to do such as a DUI program or community labor and you do not return to court on the due date the Judge will issue a warrant for your arrest for failure to do the court ordered obligations.. Call us if you have a warrant because you did not complete all of your obligations.
Traffic Ticket Warrants (Failure to Pay)
A traffic ticket can escalate into a warrant when fines aren’t handled or deadlines are missed. LA County traffic court outlines that the court may take actions if you don’t appear by the date on your ticket (or an extension date).
What to do first
What to Do If You Think You Have a Warrant in out for Your Arrest in LA County
A warrant can turn into a real problem during a routine traffic stop when your name is run in the police computer by the police officer. You do not want to risk being handcuffed and taken to jail for your warrant in this situation..
The better approach is to be proactive and clear up your warrant by going to court with an experienced warrant lawyer to protect you. We can find out why there is a warrant out for your arrest and what is the best course of action to clear up your warrant for you so nothing bad happens to you.
Call now to speak to a Warrant lawyer, a lawyer who has been successfully clearing up warrants for over 25 years and helping people stay out of jail.
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Get Help With a Warrant in Los Angeles County
If you’re worried about an active warrant, one call can help you understand your options and what a realistic path forward looks like—before it escalates.
Faq
Quick Questions People Ask
The best way to check if there is a warrant for your arrest is to contact the criminal clerk at a Los Angeles County Courthouse where they can search to see if there is an active warrant out for your arrest. You can also go on the court website and do a name search to see if something comes up: https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/paos/v2web3/CriminalIndex
No - generally a traffic ticket infraction cannot turn into a warrant for a failure to appear unless it was a ticket for going over 100 mph or for discarding a lit cigarette VC 23111. In those cases a Judge may issue a warrant for your arrest for failure to appear because they are considered more serious charges and face additional punishment besides a fine.
A bench warrant is issued by a judge, commonly for failure to appear in court or not following a court order. In many situations, clearing it involves addressing it directly with the court (often through a court appearance or legal help).
If you fail to appear on your court date what happens to you depends on whether you are being charged with an infraction, misdemeanor or felony. If you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony and you fail to go to court for your court date the Judge will most likely issue a warrant for your arrest. If you fail to appear for an infraction, the Judge will probably refer your ticket to a collection agency.
A warrant can lead to arrest if you come into contact with law enforcement (including during a routine traffic stop). That’s why it’s best to be proactive in clearing up your warrant than risk being handcuffed and taken to jail by the police for an outstanding warrant.
The best way to clear up a warrant out for your arrest or bench warrant is to go to court to see the Judge with a lawyer who specializes in clearing up warrants so that lawyer can speak for you and protect. Going to see the Judge to clear up a warrant is always better than being brought to court in handcuffs for a warrant.
No, there is generally no statute of limitations for arrest warrants or bench warrants. Once a judge issues a warrant, it remains active indefinitely until the subject is arrested, the warrant is recalled by a court, or the case is dismissed. Warrants do not expire, even if years pass.
The DMV computer does not contain warrant information. Many people renew or reinstate their license with the DMV and think there are no warrants out for their arrest because they think the DMV would have said something about their warrants. This is not true the DMV does not know if there is a warrant out for your arrest. The best way to find out if there is a warrant for your arrest is to contact the criminal clerk at the courthouse in the county where your case is out of. We can help you try and find out if there is a warrant out for your arrest.
Take Action Now
If you are unsure whether a warrant exists do not wait until law enforcement finds it first and arrests you.. Taking action may help prevent jail time, additional penalties and unnecessary stress. Call us so we can help clear up your warrant for you before the police do.