Nevada Arrest Warrants

When a district attorney or a law enforcement officer has probable cause that an individual committed an illegal offense, he or she is to testify before a judge. The judge can then issue or decline an arrest warrant. Search warrants are also issued in a similar manner. However, bench warrants are arrest warrants that are only issued if an individual on bail is absent from his or her court date. Both arrest warrants and bench warrants cannot expire, though search warrants do expire after the cited time period.

Though both are serious cases, bench warrants are more severe than ordinary arrest warrants. Since bench warrants are issued towards those who have already been arrested, increased charges can follow. The state of Nevada treats warrants of misdemeanor arrests slightly differently from warrants of felony arrests. Since felony offenses are more severe cases they are often expedited. If an individual cannot be found after a certain time period, a bounty hunter may be hired.

Arresting
In Nevada arrest warrants can easily be avoided if a police officer issues a citation or the district attorney issues a summons. The state of Nevada states that law enforcement officers are to be responsible for executing any outstanding warrants within the state, despite a judge's issuance. Officers are required to follow specific protocol in regards to the amount of force used, the location in which an individual is searched, and the time of day for searching.

Nevada state law allows police officers to fulfill an arrest warrant for a felony offense at any time of the day or night. This is in contrast to misdemeanor arrest warrants that require fulfillment only between the hours of seven in the morning and seven in the evening. Under certain circumstances a misdemeanor warrant of arrest can be fulfilled at any time if a judge grants permission, if the offense was committed in police presence, if the individual has other current warrants, if the individual voluntarily surrenders, if the individual has escaped prior custody, or if the offense is for domestic violence.

After an arrest the individual will stand before a Nevada judge within seven-two hours of the arrest. The individual may be released if brought after the seventy-two-hour limit. Arrests can be made at nearly any plausible residence, though places of employment or places of residency are most common. Arrest warrants allow law enforcement to enter homes without permission; if an individual allows officers into his or her home without a warrant that individual can legally be arrested. Necessary force can only be used if the individual resists arrest.

Online Searching
In cases of identity theft, and others, it is possible to have an arrest warrant without being aware. Online services offer the search of arrest and bench warrants at little to no cost. Each state, including Nevada, has personal web pages and databases for searching specific counties and cities. If a warrant is found, the individual should surrender to the police. Some cases of surrender can result in lower to no charges. Criminal defense attorneys can also provide searches for outstanding warrants.