An arrest warrant may be issued in a variety of ways, and many people are unaware a warrant for their arrest exists until they are taken into custody. While you cannot simply pay off a warrant, you might have to pay money for bail after your arrest.
While you might end up paying some amount of money after being arrested, you are not “paying off” the warrant. No amount of money will make the warrant disappear. However, if you are arrested, you might have to pay money for bail. There are different types of arrest warrants, including standard warrants and bench warrants. An arrest under either warrant may necessitate paying bail. An attorney might be able to help you clear a warrant before you are arrested, depending on your situation. The amount of money you might have to pay will vary based on the underlying charges and how a judge sets bail.
Arrest warrants are not bills or invoices that go away when paid. Dealing with a warrant might mean communicating with courts and law enforcement and scheduling new hearing dates. For a free case review, call the Utah criminal defense lawyers at Overson & Bugden at (801) 758-2287.
How Do I Pay Off a Warrant for Arrest in Utah?
You cannot simply pay off a warrant of arrest in Utah. Arrest warrants are not bills or fines that go away after paying a certain sum of money. These are legal documents authorizing the police to arrest you for a crime or a violation of a court order. However, after you are arrested on a warrant, you might have to pay money toward bail to get out of jail while you wait for your trial.
Paying money for bail typically comes after a person has been arrested under a warrant. You might have to go through several legal processes, like booking and a preliminary arraignment, before you even get to the issue of bail.
Our Salt Lake City criminal defense lawyers can help you handle your arrest warrant and sort out the bail issue. We can argue for the least restrictive bail possible, and in some cases, that means not paying any money at all. If your warrant was issued because you allegedly skipped bail, the court might be less forgiving, and bail might be higher or revoked.
Types of Arrest Warrants in Utah
Several different arrest warrants can be issued in Utah. Law enforcement usually prepares standard arrest warrants after a criminal investigation. The police must gather enough probable cause to convince a judge that a crime has been committed and the suspect is the likely perpetrator. These warrants must adhere to very strict procedures to avoid violating the rights of suspects.
A bench warrant is different than a standard warrant because it does not originate with the police. Instead, a bench warrant comes directly from a judge. The term “bench warrant” refers to the warrant being handed down directly from the judge’s bench. These warrants are often issued for skipping bail and missing court, or violating court orders, not for new crimes. They are not always a top priority of law enforcement, and you might not be arrested right away.
In many cases, bench warrants are not executed for years, but they never expire. If you know you have missed a court date, you should contact our Murray criminal defense lawyers for help. There is a good chance a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest. If we can contact the court and reschedule your missed court date, the judge might be persuaded to recall the warrant.
You might have to pay bail regardless of what kind of warrant you are arrested under. You might have to pay bail even if you are arrested under a bench warrant that does not involve a new crime. A judge might hesitate to let you go again since you already missed court once.
Clearing Arrest Warrants in Utah
Depending on the details of your case, our Utah criminal defense attorneys might be able to help you clear a warrant before you are arrested. If an arrest is unavoidable, we can work to minimize the time you are in custody and get you out on bail as soon as possible.
Clearing a standard warrant may be difficult because you likely would not know there is a warrant in the first place. Law enforcement does not usually like to tip its hand regarding when and how they will execute arrests. However, if you have had some recent encounters with the police or were questioned about an alleged crime, there is a chance a warrant for your arrest is in the works.
Our Riverton criminal defense attorneys might be able to coordinate with law enforcement to avoid arrest, but you might still be taken into custody. The goal in this scenario is to get out on bail as quickly as possible.
Bench warrants tend to be less serious and may be dealt with more easily. The police do not come looking for you but may arrest you upon their next encounter with you, such as at a traffic stop. If you know there is a bench warrant, we can contact the court and hopefully schedule a hearing. Sometimes, that is all the judge wants, and they might recall the warrant. If the warrant is recalled, there is no need to pay bail.
How Much Money Do I Have to Pay for an Arrest Warrant in Utah?
How much money you must pay after being arrested under a warrant depends on the underlying charges. Usually, we will not know how much money you must pay or if you are required to pay anything at all until bail is determined at your bai hearing. This hearing occurs shortly after you are taken into custody.
You cannot attempt to pay your bail before being arrested to avoid being taken into custody. That is not how bail or arrest warrants work. You should handle your warrant and potential bail issues by contacting our St. George criminal defense attorneys for help.
Call Our Utah Criminal Defense Attorneys for Help Now
Arrest warrants cannot simply be paid off like a fine or parking ticket. Our West Valley City criminal defense lawyers might be able to help you avoid being arrested, but there are no guarantees. For a free evaluation of your case, call Overson & Bugden at (801) 758-2287.
