Arkansas Arrest Warrants

There are many things that follow us through our lives whether we want them to or not. Our names and social security numbers are always with us. The same can be said for our blood type and family history. There is another item that could be following you wherever you go on vacation or if you move from state to state. That would be an arrest warrant. You might not even be aware you are a suspect in a crime. Once a warrant has been sworn out in your name, it will remain active until the matter is resolved in front of the original judge who issued the warrant.

Arkansas arrest warrants can also travel across state lines. If you got into trouble in Florida you could be arrested in Arkansas and sent back to Florida to face the charges. The first question you should ask is if the warrant is a bench warrant or felony warrant. Each one carries its own set of problems.

Arkansas Bench Warrants
When a bench warrant is sworn out in your name, it will be because you didn't follow a court order. This order could have been to pay child support, a traffic ticket or simply to appear before the court. By ignoring a court order you are setting yourself up for this type of arrest and with that you'll go through the same procedures of a booking, fingerprinting and mug shot. The record of this arrest is now part of your file that will also follow you wherever you go. This record can only be erased with another court order.

Arkansas Felony Warrants
Sometimes referred to simply as arrest warrants, these types of warrants are issued against an individual when they are a suspect in a major crime. The only time a felony warrant is sworn out is when a judge has been presented with enough compelling evidence against you to make you the primary suspect in a criminal offense.

If detectives don't go directly to a judge for a warrant, then prosecutors can utilize the services of the grand jury to seek an indictment. Once an indictment is issued by a grand jury, a judge is compelled to issue the warrant. With a felony warrant, police officers are immediately sent out to arrest the suspect.

Researching Arrest Warrants
There are several online Arkansas databases that can provide information about arrest warrants. Some of these services are free while others charge a small fee. Even if you've had no dealings with the law, an unpaid ticket from years ago could still lead to a warrant. In the cases of identity theft, the criminal will be carrying out crimes in your name. The responsibility then falls on you to clear your name.

If you should happen to discover that a warrant has been sworn out in your name, you should immediately contact a lawyer. You will still have to surrender yourself to the court. However, depending on the circumstances you might be able to clear up the matter with a single appearance and no jail time. The fact remains that you will have to appear in court to settle any outstanding warrant issued in your name.