If you find out that there is a bench warrant out for you in Utah, it makes sense why you would want to turn yourself in to avoid facing legal issues in the future. If you do decide to turn yourself in for your bench warrant in Utah, you should know that you do face the possibility of going to jail until a judge has time to meet with you in court. Before you turn yourself in for a bench warrant, discuss your case with an attorney. If you bring an attorney with you to turn yourself in, you may be able to get bailed out. If you’re considering turning yourself in for a bench warrant in Utah, continue reading — Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyer Darwin Overson from Overson & Bugden will discuss how you can turn yourself in for a bench warrant in Utah and how he can help you avoid jail.
What Happens When You Turn Yourself In For a Bench Warrant in Utah
Turning yourself in for a bench warrant in Utah is the right thing to do and can prevent you from facing much more complicated and extensive legal issues in the future. If you turn yourself in, it’s likely that you’ll have to spend some time in jail while you await a chance to speak with a judge in court. To reduce the likelihood of going to jail, you should turn yourself in with the presence of an attorney. Having an attorney present when you turn yourself in will increase your chances of being released on bail.
It may be preferable for you to work with an attorney to schedule a court date instead of turning yourself in. Instead of turning yourself in, you can use an attorney’s help to schedule a court date where you can speak with a judge and resolve the issue that led to your bench warrant in the first place. During this court date, you can ask the judge to recall your bench warrant, which they are likely to do if you have an attorney with you.
Understanding Bench Warrants in Utah
Bench warrants are issued by judges as a way to bring certain people into custody. Bench warrants do not allow police to enter a person’s home or place of employment to arrest them; instead, bench warrants only allow police officers to bring people into custody if they arrest them for another reason such as a DUI or traffic violation. Bench warrants are named as such because they are issued from a judge’s bench; they are issued when someone violates probation, fails to pay a court fine, or fails to appear in court for a different reason.
It’s important to note the differences between arrest warrants and bench warrants. Both are orders that are issued by a court but each works differently. Judges issue arrest warrants when police have sufficient reason to believe that a person has committed a criminal act or is engaged is criminal activity. Bench warrants simply allow police to bring someone into custody when they’ve come into contact with them for a separate reason. Arrest warrants are often accompanied by warrants for search and seizure in criminal cases involving weapons, kidnappings, drug possession, or similar criminal offenses.
How to Find Out If You Have a Bench Warrant in Utah
If you would like to find out if you have a bench warrant in Utah, you can do so using a few different methods. Firstly, you can search your name in the search function provided by the Utah Department of Public Safety. Another way to find out if you have a bench warrant in Utah is to call the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification. Their phone number is (801) 965-4445. You can also get in touch with the county’s clerk of courts to find out if you have a bench warrant. You can access your county court’s contact information through the Utah court directory, which is available online.
If you do find out that there is a bench warrant out for you, the best thing you can do for yourself is to get in touch with a lawyer as quickly as possible. A lawyer can schedule a court date for you so you can have a chance to meet with a judge to address your underlying issues. If you choose to turn yourself in, you should have a lawyer representing you for that as well.
Bench Warrant Expiration in Utah
Bench warrants in Utah last as long as the underlying violation that they are issued for. If the criminal charges that led to your bench warrant are within the statute of limitations (the amount of time that a court has to file criminal charges against a defendant), the bench warrant is still valid. Courts have the power to renew and reissue bench warrants at any time.
Defending Against a Bench Warrant in Utah
If you work with an experienced lawyer when you turn yourself in for a bench warrant or take action to resolve it, you may be able to successfully defend yourself. One valid defense against bench warrants is to argue that you didn’t intentionally miss your original court date. If some extreme circumstances prevented you from being able to appear in court when you were requested, it may be a valid defense against penalties connected to a bench warrant.
Salt Lake City Criminal Defense Attorney Offering Free Consultations
If you know that there is a bench warrant for your arrest in Utah, don’t waste any time getting it resolved. You can turn yourself in but the possibility that you’ll have to go to jail is high if you don’t bring a lawyer with you. If you plan on turning yourself in for your Utah bench warrant, get in touch with Salt Lake City criminal defense attorney Darwin Overson from Overson & Bugden. You can call them at (801) 758-2287.
