The main difference between an arrest warrant and a bench warrant is that one is issued by the judge in a court whereas the other is not. Bench warrant is usually issued by the judge though it plays the same role as an arrest warrant. One might not get into too much trouble if they ignore an arrest warrant but they can put themselves in serious jeopardy if they ignore a bench warrant.
Sometimes when people commit a crime like breaking a traffic light or driving under influence and being arrested, then there are chances that the court will issue a warrant against you demanding you to appear in court. However, if you fail to do so then there are chances that you will be issued a bench warrant and more serious actions will be taken against you.
Defining a Bench Warrant?
A bench warrant can easily be defined as one that is diligently enforced on the criminal through lawful means. The authorities are given the right to invade the criminal’s privacy and bring them to court if the need arises. Despite being issued a bench warrant if the criminal does not show up in court after they have officially been given a bench warrant then things can get a nasty turn. They will either be taken to court again or being given a distinct number of hours of community service to rid themselves of the charges.
How Does it Differ From An Arrest Warrant?
Once an arrest warrant is issued against an individual, law is given the right to hunt down the criminal. In order to ensure that you understand the sinister nature of the case being filed there are chances that the law might show up on your door and drag you to the court. This is why it is important that you show up after the first warrant is issued before things take an ugly turn and the responsibility on your plate increases.
Whenever someone is caught driving under influence or breaking a red light or running through a stop sign, their personal information is immediately entered into a database. This database runs through a large system and holds the information on a more permanent basis. Hence, the best thing for a person to do, if they are pulled over, is to show up to the court and not to fight the law.
More importantly, an arrest warrant is issued when the law enforcement officer convinces the judge that he needs to take you in custody. As opposed to this, a bench warrant is issued when you are summoned by the judge and you don’t appear in the court.
If the juryand judge feel that that the warrant and activity is convincing enough the individual is then required to pay a stipend and as a result their bench warrant might be wavered altogether. However, if they fail to meet these requirements then the penalty is indeed heavy. Hence, know the difference before you put yourself in trouble.
Joel Hammock is the author of this article. He refers to the experts found on this website to help them understand the difference between the two warrants.