Learning that there is a warrant for your arrest or for the search of your home or other property is one of the scariest things a person can experience. You may feel like you have no idea what to do next, especially if this is your first time dealing with the police and the criminal justice system in a serious way. You also may not know the difference between an arrest warrant, a bench warrant, and a search warrant, and when you should hire a lawyer to deal with each type. At the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, our skilled Atlantic City criminal defense lawyers have years of experience helping clients successfully deal with situations involving all 3 types of warrants. Below, we explain when it is best to hire an attorney to deal with your warrant and how we can help you bring the matter to the most positive possible resolution.
When Should I Get a Lawyer if Faced with a Warrant in New Jersey?
The best advice is to contact a skilled Atlantic City criminal defense lawyer like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon as you learn a warrant has been issued against you or for the search of your property. The sooner you get into contact with us, the better chance we have of resolving the issue in a successful way. Depending on the type of warrant, we may be able to convince the police and court to quash it if you meet certain conditions. Furthermore, we can challenge warrants that we believe were improperly granted.
How Can A Lawyer Help Me with New Jersey Warrants?
There are three major types of warrants that you may have to deal with in New Jersey: bench warrants, arrest warrants, and search warrants. Depending on which of these types of warrants you face, the advice on how to deal with it from your lawyer will be different. Each of the type of warrants and the best ways our experienced Atlantic City warrant defense attorneys at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych can help you deal with them are described below.
Bench Warrants
Bench warrants are issued by the judge from the bench without an application made by anyone. These warrants are issued by judges when people fail to meet their duties under the criminal justice system. For example, bench warrants are most commonly issued when a defendant in a criminal case fails to appear in court as required. They can also be issued if you fail to pay child support or require court fines and fees on time, or if you fail to show up when subpoenaed as a witness, among other situations.
Once a bench warrant has been issued against you, the police can arrest you at any time. However, they will usually not act on a bench warrant by coming to your home or place of work to arrest you. Instead, the warrant will remain in the system, and anytime you come into contact with the police, even during a routine traffic stop, the officer will almost certainly run a warrant check. If they find an active bench warrant against you, they will place you under arrest and transport you to the proper jurisdiction to go before the judge.
The best way to deal with a bench warrant is to contact a skilled Atlantic City bench warrant attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych before you end up arrested. We can work to negotiate a situation for you to surrender and appear before the judge without being formally arrested. Then we can work to convince the judge that you do not deserve any additional penalties, such as your bail being revoked.
Arrest Warrants
Unlike bench warrants, arrest warrants are issued by a judge only after an application from police officers. Also unlike bench warrants, arrest warrants are usually acted upon immediately by the police once the judge approves them. This means that the police will come right away to your home or place of work to execute the warrant and place you under arrest. Usually, you will not have any sort of “heads up” that an arrest warrant has been issued. However, if you do, and you contact one of our skilled arrest warrant attorney at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych, we can try to work out a situation for you to surrender privately rather than be arrested publicly at your home or some other public place. After your arrest, we will work to get you released from jail as quickly as possible and then turn our attentions to trying to get the charges against you downgraded or dismissed.
Search Warrants
Police apply for a search warrant when they believe they have probable cause to think evidence of a crime is being concealed in your home, vehicle, or some other personal property. If a judge grants the warrant, the police will likely come right away to execute it. As soon as the police show up with a search warrant, reach out to an experienced illegals search and seizure attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J, Zarych. While you will have to let them conduct their search, it is possible that the warrant is faulty or they exceed its scope, such as searching in places not mentioned in the warrant. In such a case, we can file a motion to have any evidence obtained as a result of the search excluded from being used against you in a criminal case.
If You Are Facing a Bench Warrant, Arrest Warrant, or Search Warrant, Call Our Lawyers Right Away
Anytime you are dealing with a bench warrant, an arrest warrant, or a search warrant, you should contact a skilled Ventnor criminal defense attorney like those at the Law Offices of John J. Zarych as soon as possible. While the way we will deal with each type of warrant differs, it always gives us a better shot at resolving the matter successfully the quicker you get in touch with us. Call our office today at (609) 616-4956 for a free consultation.
