Understanding Warrants

Your failure to appear in Court (on an existing criminal case)will result in the court issuing a Bench warrant for your arrest. (see CPL 530.70, CPL 120.30)

To vacate the warrant, it will be necessary for you toappear in the Court that originally issued the warrant. You can appear in one of the borough warrant squads, you can call the NYPD’s warrant squad at718-217-8484 or you can go to yourlocal Police precinct and the Police will bring you in on the warrant. It iswise for an individual to appear in the Court Clerk’s office as a “voluntary” surrender than to have the Police bring them into Court (involuntary return on a warrant). This will increase the chances that bail will not be set or will be set at a lower number.

Warrants expirewhen the defendant appears before the Judge that issued the warrant.

Other Types of warrants:

Arrest Warrant (see CPL 120.28 & CPL 120.29)

A formal document authorizing the Police to arrest you. A law enforcement agent will present evidence that was obtained after an investigation or an arrest to a Judge and ask theJudge to issue an” arrest warrant.” It may alsohappen after a sealed indictment. A sealed indictment is used when the Prosecutor does not want to alert the prospective Defendant that they are being investigated. In this case, you will be brought before the Court for purpose of an arraignment on the accusatory instrument.

Search Warrants (see CPL 690.05.)

This is court order authorizing a police to conduct a search of a designated premises, and/or vehicles and individuals, for the purpose of seizing designated property or kinds of property, and to deliver any property obtained to the court that issued the warrant.

To learn more about how I can help protect your rights, call my office at 718-720-1000 for a free initial consultation.