What is a bench warrant?
A. A bench warrant is a court order directing law enforcement personnel (Sheriffs Office, California Highway Patrol, City Police, etc.) to arrest an individual upon contact to bring them to the issuing court for a hearing. There are many types of bench warrants. In some cases, the arresting officer has authority to set a court date for the arrestee, and let them go. Some bench warrants have bail amounts that must be deposited with the court before release. Some bench warrants are “no release” or “no bail” warrants. Bench warrants are one of the top reasons people are arrested during a traffic stop. Bench warrants are usually issued because a defendant does not appear in court for a hearing.
