November 22, 2016 | admin DID YOU RECENTLY RECEIVE A BENCH WARRANT IN PENNSYLVANIA

If you obtained a bench warrant in Pennsylvania, you may not have realized that you actually had one. That is, until you are driving along one day, get stopped by the police for a speeding ticket, they run your name, and you end up going to jail. Your name is automatically entered into the police system the moment the judge issued your warrant. Maybe you missed a court date, or maybe it was another more serious offense. Either way, right then and there, the cops have the right to bring you down to the station and lock you up.

After you have been arrested on your Pennsylvania bench warrant, the time you’ll spend in jail will vary. For example, if you were arrested on a regular weekday, you could see the judge that day, or the following day. If you were taken in on the weekend, there is a chance that you may not see a judge until the following Monday. Worst case scenario, you happened to be in another State when you were spontaneously stopped by the cops. If this happens, you have to wait on Pennsylvania law enforcement to come and get you. There have been instances where this occurrence resulted in an offender staying in jail for up to a month before being transported back home.

Rule 150 of Pennsylvania code states that there is a specific procedure that is followed when concerning bench warrants. There is usually a hearing first (sometimes via audio-visual communication on a big screen). And, if the judge who issued the warrant is present, he or she will administer the hearing as soon as possible. If they are not there, then a judge can be put in their place for your hearing. Normally, though, you will be in court for it in 72 hours or less; unless of course there is something else that is holding you.

Needless to say, if you know for sure that you have a bench warrant in Pennsylvania, the best thing to do is firstly take it seriously, and secondly contact a good criminal defense lawyer. Your attorney can help you to understand your situation, and represent you with respect to you particular situation. He can point out to the judge the reason or reasons why you missed court, or why a warrant should not have been issued. If you have a good enough excuse for your absence (such as if you were working or were sick), then you may not face the biggest penalty, which in many cases can be contempt of court.