# What to do if you find out you have a warrant out for your arrest **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 6, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747 "2016-10-06T01:46:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/41 "2016-10-07T03:10:19Z")
I’m self-employed, but it’s part of the ethics rules that apply to all lawyers in my state. If a firm did this as a regular business practice, other lawyers would hear about it, and one or more of them would file an ethics complaint that would trigger an investigation, etc. It’s not as simple as paying a fine. Ethics violations can result in anything from a private reprimand up to disbarment. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/42 "2016-10-07T05:06:10Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > It’s civil, but she didn’t show up. That makes it FTA (Failure To Appear). It shouldn’t. In my experience if you fail to appear in a civil case the plaintiff just wins a default judgement. You get a postcard telling you so and then a big stack of letters detailing things. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/43 "2016-10-07T07:20:45Z")
If she’s certain she’s done nothing criminal or ever been charged criminally chances are better than even this is some sort of mixup. Civil matters don’t usually result in arrest warrants being issued. I think just going in and seeing what’s up is the best plan. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/44 "2016-10-07T13:41:42Z")
How do you search that? Is there a free way? Using Google, all I see are scam sites trying to bilk money out of you like cheap palm reader. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/45 "2016-10-07T14:25:31Z")
If by “that” you mean the OP’s friend’s warrants, he’s said about 4 times now that he went to the relevant local courthouse website and use their open warrant inquiry tool. No there is no generalized nationwide free government-sponsored guaranteed accurate online search tool. Nor is one relevant to the OP’s case. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/46 "2016-10-07T14:53:29Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > If by “that” you mean the OP’s friend’s warrants, he’s said about 4 times now that he went to the relevant local courthouse website and use their open warrant inquiry tool. > > No there is no generalized nationwide free government-sponsored guaranteed accurate online search tool. Nor is one relevant to the OP’s case. See post 22. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/47 "2016-10-07T15:10:15Z")
> [@astro](#): > > See post 22. Which is statewide, not nationwide, right? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/48 "2016-10-07T15:12:33Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Which is statewide, not nationwide, right? Yes the OP’s friend is in Maryland. My post was intended for Count Blucher not LSLGuy. ---
**Author:** ![K2500](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f6c823/32.png) [@K2500](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K2500)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/49 "2016-10-07T16:24:13Z")
Things may be different here in Texas but if I got an FTA for traffic or a class C, I’d try to get a bond BEFORE I go to court, if possibe. Of course I’m an able bodied male, the courts might be hesitant to lock up a little old lady for something like you described. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/50 "2016-10-07T18:16:53Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > It’s civil, but she didn’t show up. That makes it FTA (Failure To Appear). I don’t understand that part of it either, but the case is listed as civil. The judge ordered a body attachment since she didn’t show up. But they have to serve her. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/51 "2016-10-07T18:17:14Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Yes the OP’s friend is in Maryland. My post was intended for Count Blucher not LSLGuy. I know & thank you. Looks like my state doesn’t have one. (…what is it about threads like this that can make anyone reading it, even if they’ve done nothing wrong, so suddenly worried that they suddenly want to check? lol) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/52 "2016-10-07T18:27:43Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > (…what is it about threads like this that can make anyone reading it, even if they’ve done nothing wrong, so suddenly worried that they suddenly want to check? lol) A prankster supposedly once sent telegrams to all the sitting Members of Parliament, reading “All has been discovered. Flee!” - and some very large number of them suddenly left for their country houses. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/53 "2016-10-07T18:34:59Z")
This happened to a friend of mine. She called the county court to find out the next day court was in session, showed up at court that day and waited and waited until the defendants with private attorneys cases were heard, defendants with court appointed cases, incarcerated defendants who were brought to court for their cases, and defendants on the calendar with no attorneys. Finally she was the only one left sitting there so the judge called her up and she explained that she just found out she had a warrant and wanted to take care of it. The judge gave her an application for a public defender, adjourned the case for 2 weeks, and Ror’d her. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/54 "2016-10-08T12:05:50Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > This happened to a friend of mine. She called the county court to find out the next day court was in session, showed up at court that day and waited and waited until the defendants with private attorneys cases were heard, defendants with court appointed cases, incarcerated defendants who were brought to court for their cases, and defendants on the calendar with no attorneys. Finally she was the only one left sitting there so the judge called her up and she explained that she just found out she had a warrant and wanted to take care of it. The judge gave her an application for a public defender, adjourned the case for 2 weeks, and Ror’d her. I told her about this and she is thinking it over. At this point though she has made up her mind to just turn herself in and see what happens. I told her to make sure she takes a recent property tax bill and her tax returns, don’t go at their busy times, and try to find out when the commissioner is going to be there so she doesn’t have to wait for hours or overnight. She’s going to get her daughter to take her since I live an hour and a half away. Thanks everybody for your help and suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/55 "2016-10-08T12:08:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > But they have to serve her. You would think so and from what I can see they tried to. I am not a lawyer, I don’t know how the system works, and I don’t understand all the abbreviations in the case notes. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747/56 "2016-10-08T12:10:00Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > I know & thank you. Looks like my state doesn’t have one. > (…what is it about threads like this that can make anyone reading it, even if they’ve done nothing wrong, so suddenly worried that they suddenly want to check? lol) Because she didn’t know she had done anything wrong either. And yes, I looked myself up while I was at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-if-you-find-out-you-have-a-warrant-out-for-your-arrest/767747.md?page=2)