The Lawyers Other Lawyers Go To To Defend Them (213) 542-0963

Why Would A Warrant Be Issued For My Arrest On A DUI Charge?

There are several reasons for a warrant to be issued for your arrest if you're charged with a DUI. For example, a contract could be issued for a charge unrelated to the DUI. For example, perhaps you didn't do something that you were supposed to do related to the DUI case.

For instance, let's say you picked up a new case, didn't show up to court, or were put on a probation order by the court to do certain things you didn't do them. There are many different reasons why a warrant can be issued for somebody's arrest.

Call your attorney or hire an attorney instead of burying your head in the sand doing nothing about it. Let the attorney contact the court, find out why there is a warrant, get a minute order from the case so they can see why the warrant was issued, and then get back in touch with you.

Then you decide how you're going to handle the warrant. Typically, this means going back to court, having the case told, and telling the judge what the issue was. It's also possible that a mistake occurred; perhaps they issued a warrant, and they shouldn't have, or somebody else used your information.

You've got to get into court and deal with several reasons. Once you show up in court and appear before the judge, the judge will automatically take the warrant out of the system.

Then it's a matter of dealing with the issue that has occurred. Your attorney will guide you through the process, talk to the judge, speak to the prosecutor, and determine what needs to be done to be on your way warrant-free, removing you from the Criminal Justice System as fast as possible.

Could There Be A DUI Warrant Out Without Me Even Knowing?

It's widespread for someone to have a warrant issued for their arrest in Los Angeles without knowing about it. There are many reasons for a person to get contracts put in the system. I've had people pulled over multiple times by the police who also didn't notice a warrant in the person's name.

Then have, several months go by when they get arrested, or they complete a background check, and then they can see that there's a warrant in the system for them. It is possible that a warrant is put in the system, and you do not know about it.

Once you find out about it, your best option is to go to court and taking care of the warrant. When this happens, you're going to want to hire an attorney. You and the attorney will appear in court, and you'll be able to see precisely why the warrant was issued, discuss it with the judge, discuss it with the prosecutor in the case and get the contract recalled or quashed.

Then you'll need to deal with the issue that caused the warrant to be issued in the first place. This is done with your attorney's assistance and guidance.

I'm afraid I disagree with people who let warrants sit in the system and don't do anything about them. It's in the back of their mind, they're worried about it, but they don't want to face the consequences. It is not the right way to handle things. Once you go in there and deal with the warrant, you will feel much better.

How Can I Find Out If There Is A DUI Warrant?

There are various ways to find out if there's a warrant for your arrest in Los Angeles. The easiest one is called a live scan; that's where they take your fingerprint, go to the Department of Justice's computer, and have the print compared to the system to see if there's any information there.

Another method is to go to any Court in Los Angeles County or San Fernando Valley and give them your name, date of birth, and any other information they ask for.

They will be able to pull your record and see if there's any warrant. There's also the Superior Court System, where you can pay a $5 fee, and you can check to see if there are any warrants for your arrest. Unfortunately, this system is not 100% accurate. It might not pick up a warrant that is pending against you.

Your best bet is to hire an attorney, let them figure out the best actions to assess whether there's a warrant, and then let them help you deal with that warrant. Then it's going to be dealt with most successfully with the least amount of pain and suffering for you.

How Can I Clear My DUI Arrest Warrant Without Going To Jail?

Clearing a DUI warrant without going to jail relies on several factors. Any attorney dealing with a DUI warrant wants to know why the warrant was issued; that's the first question.

Suppose the warrant was issued because you didn't do something you were supposed to do. In that case, you need to get back to the court, tell the judge you're going to do it, get more time, get new enrollment papers if you were supposed to enroll in something and you didn't do it, and then you tell the judge why you didn't do what you were considered.

Most judges are understanding, and they'll give you a chance. However, if a warrant is issued for reasons that show that you are intentionally failing to do with the court-ordered you to do and you've been given a second chance to comply, and you still didn't take the ordered action, then you have placed yourself in a position to go to jail.

No attorney will be able to guarantee whether or not you're going to go to jail. They will be able to give you a good feeling about the outcome depending on the circumstances. That shifts the position to how the judge feels that day, what your criminal record looks like, and what you did or did not do. Several factors go into the decision.

I do know for sure that the best chance to not go to jail is to go in there with an attorney who knows what they're doing, who has inside information about the particular courthouse, judge, and prosecutor that you're going to have got experience dealing with warrants and keeping people out of jail.

Do Los Angeles DUI Warrants Ever Expire?

In Los Angeles, once a warrant is put in the system, it will never expire. It sits in the system until they catch you or pass away; the warrant is still in the system even when you pass away. I've had to take warrants out of the system for those who have passed away. We have to get a death certificate, go into court, and get the judge to take the warrant out of the system.

Burying your head and doing nothing about a warrant, hoping it'll go away or be purged from the system, is ineffective in handling a contract. What you need to do is get in front of an attorney. Let the attorney ask you questions about the warrant.

Why was it issued? What you've been doing? What your criminal record looks like? Then you will figure out a plan for going in, having the warrant recalled, having the warrant quashed, and then it's just going to be a matter of figuring out what a judge will do based on that warrant.

In other words, why was that warrant issued?  What did you do or not do that you were supposed to? Once that is determined, these warrants can be cleared up very quickly, and a lot of times, you don't even need to go to jail. In LA County, even if you did go to jail, you're doing a tiny percentage of the time because of the overcrowding.

Often, these sentences are a fraction of what the court gives because of the overcrowding in LA County. Over the last five to 10 years, I have seen that LA County has been crowded while other counties like Ventura, Orange County, and Santa Barbara County will serve a higher percentage of the time.

If you've got a warrant, no matter why the warrant is in the system, you've got to get an attorney to go with it. It's not just going to go away. It's going to have to be confronted head-on.

Related: What Is Your Best Strategy If You Have a Warrant for DUI?

Contact Us Today

Hedding Law Firm is committed to answering your questions about DUI law issues in California and throughout the United States.

I'll privately discuss your case with you at your convenience. All consultations are free, discreet, and confidential. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Menu