Q: I'm wondering if a friend of mine should get a lawyer for an arrest warrant.
I'm seeking some advice for a friend not having proof of insurance 11 years ago when he was only 20, and, not appearing in court back in 2010. Now, there's an active warrant out for his arrest---I don't know what a judge would do in this case. I'm just wondering if he needs a lawyer or not. There's no court date set as of yet, and, the bond is $500. I just want to know how serious this is. Thank you.
A:
Your friend can hire an attorney to lift the warrant and represent them for the 4-point "No Insurance" ticket. If your friend hires an attorney, they won't have to pay the bond, turn themselves in to police, or appear in court. If your friend provides proof that they now have insurance, the attorney can get the 4-point "No Insurance" ticket amended to a no-point, non-moving infraction such as "Illegal Parking" or something similar. Your friend won't have to appear in court, but they will have to pay a fine and court costs.
The judge will most likely agree to lift the warrant unless your friend has a history of warrants in that particular court.
This warrant will never go away until your friend takes care of it. If they don't want to hire an attorney, your friend will have to turn himself in to police and get booked and processed and pay the $500 bond. Then the police will give your friend a new court date, and your friend can go to court and speak to the judge.
1 user found this answer helpful
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
