New Jersey Warrants

In New Jersey, having a warrant gives law enforcement the right to arrest the individual who is named on the warrant. The warrant also serves as instruction for the officer to bring the person mentioned in the warrant to court. In order for a New Jersey warrant to be issued, a law enforcement agent must present evidence that was obtained during an investigation to a judge and make a request for a warrant to be issued. After the judge has issued the warrant, it is entered into various law enforcement databases so that all law enforcement officers may have knowledge the warrants existence.

If a person is stopped by law enforcement and a check is done on their personal information, their driver’s license, or license plate and it is revealed that they have an outstanding warrant, they will be arrested immediately. It does not matter where they are when they are arrested, they will be held in jail until they can be transported to the jurisdiction where the warrant was issued and go before a judge. Getting arrested and transported from one state, to a court in another jurisdiction can often take much longer than we would like and can be a serious inconvenience.

Bench Warrants

If a New Jersey criminal defendant, or in some cases witness, fails to appear in court as they are directed to, a bench warrant may be issued. A bench warrant calls for the arrest of the subject of the warrant and is distributed to all local, state and federal authorities in the same way that arrest warrants are. The bench warrant tells law enforcement to bring the target of the warrant directly before the judge who issued the warrant without any avoidable delay. In some cases you may be detained by law enforcement for what can feel like a long time because it is not possible to bring you directly in front of a judge.

Searches That Accompany an Arrest

When a suspect in a New Jersey criminal case is arrested, the officer who arrested the suspect may search the person and the immediate area surrounding that person for evidence of criminal acts, which were the basis of the warrant. Suspects may also be searched for items that may be used to injure the officer, or escape from custody, as well as any alleged objects that could be considered “fruits of a the crime.”

The Blanch Law Firm Can Help

If you believe that there may be a warrant for your arrest or know with certainty that there is one, contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at The Blanch Law Firm to see what your options are. The New Jersey criminal defense lawyers at The Blanch Law Firm have experience as both prosecutors for the government and as criminal defense attorneys protecting the innocent. That experience gives the skilled criminal defense litigation team at The Blanch Law Firm knowledge in how to best help clients face as little difficulty as possible if they decide to turn themselves in on their warrant.