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Arrest Warrants / Bench Warrants

Though it can arise from a simple mistake or circumstances out of your control, missing your court date is a serious issue. A failure to appear in court for your violation, misdemeanor, or felony charge results in a warrant being put out for your arrest. Failure to actively resolve this warrant in lieu of getting arrested can make you seem like an irresponsible citizen or a flight risk to the court.

It is best to seek resolution of any warrant in your name quickly and voluntarily. An experienced criminal attorney serving the Gainesville area can help you work to resolve your Alachua County warrant in a way that may result in a favorable outcome.

Gainesville Arrest Warrant Attorney

Don't wait until your warrant is resolved through your arrest. This could have very negative consequences on your life, your case, and your relationship with the court. Galigani Law Firm was founded on the principles of advocacy, compassion, and communication and can help you resolve your warrant with a proactive solution. If you are facing a bench warrant or alias capias warrant anywhere in Alachua County, Marion County, or Columbia County, including Gainesville, Ocala, and Lake City, contact Galigani Law Firm.

Dean Galigani will advise you on your warrant resolution options while working directly with you to figure out a solution that will fit your needs. To find out what Galigani Law Firm can do for your Alachua County warrant resolution, call (352) 375-0812 today and schedule your free initial case consultation.


Information Center For Arrest and Bench Warrants in Gainesville


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Types of Arrest Warrants in Alachua County

What kind of arrest warrant is placed for you depends on the type of offense for which you were supposed to appear in court. For failure to appear in court to answer a minor violation or misdemeanor like a petit theft shoplifting offense, the warrant for your arrest is generally known as a bench warrant. Rarely does law enforcement actively seek a failure to appear offender on a bench warrant. Rather, arrests for a bench warrant usually occur during a routine traffic stop, or any other time a police officer chooses to run or needs to run your driver's license and record. With bench warrants, you are usually able to quickly post bond and be released until your new court date.

Arrest warrants for failure to appear and answer to a felony charge are different and more serious. A warrant for failure to appear on a felony charge is called an alias capias. With an alias capias warrant, a police officer or other law enforcement officer is more likely to actively pursue arrest. This is because the felonies alias capias warrants are issued for include offenses that pose more of a threat to public safety, such as felony battery. If you are arrested and booked on an alias capias warrant, posting bond for immediate release is highly unlikely. It is more likely that you will be considered a flight risk and thus required to stay in jail until your new court date.

In both the case of getting arrested on a bench warrant and an alias capias warrant, an experienced Gainesville criminal defense attorney can begin working immediately to secure your freedom and put the circumstances that caused the warrant in the first place in a more favorable light with the judge and the court.


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Outstanding Bench Warrant or Alias Capias Warrant Consequences

When it comes to outstanding warrants, there is no such thing as "waiting it out." Bench warrants and alias capias warrants can only be resolved through an arrest or surrendering yourself to the law. This means that the arrest records and warrant record will follow you wherever you go, even if you move states, and could cause you to be arrested at any time, in any place. The main consequence of an outstanding bench warrant or alias capias warrant, therefore, is the constant risk of getting arrested without regard to your particular convenience.

Additionally, for as long as a warrant is out for your arrest it will appear on your record in background checks. Persons like future employers, creditors, and landlords may be able to see the warrant, which could portray you as an irresponsible citizen or a someone running from the law. The best method to prevent the constant risk of being arrested or having a warrant show up on your record is to actively work to resolve the warrant with your experienced Gainesville criminal defense attorney. Waiting for resolution by arrest will likely only make matters worse, and result in jail time, fines, bonds, and put you in a negative light in front of the court.


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Resolution Options for Alachua County Outstanding Warrants

Not only is an arrest not the only resolution option for your outstanding Alachua County bench warrant or alias capias warrant, it is also not the best. Turning yourself in for a warrant proactively is always better than waiting to get arrested. When it comes to seeking a proactive solution for your Alachua County outstanding warrant, an experienced Gainesville criminal defense lawyer can not only advise you on favorable solutions for your case, but also protect your rights and guide your case through the process. Some of the proactive resolutions for your bench or alias capias warrant that a Gainesville defense lawyer may be able to assist you with include:

  • Motion to withdraw the warrant for a failure to appear that was unintentional or unavoidable
  • Court petition for withdrawal of an improperly issued bench warrant or alias capias
  • Schedule emergency bond hearing to petition for a lower bond amount because of exigent circumstances, or petition for ROR bond
  • Negotiation with law enforcement for your surrender and terms of surrender
  • Court appearance to surrender and petition judge for speedy resolution
  • Self-arrest programs, where available 

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Resources for Gainesville Bench Warrants

Alachua County's Most Wanted – Visit this page on the Alachua County Sheriff Office's website to check misdemeanor and felony warrants in Gainesville and the surrounding areas, report a crime anonymously, or check the list of registered sex offenders.

Florida's Most Wanted – This section of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's (FDLE) website allows you to search for warrants statewide. Warrant information from this site should be independently verified with the law enforcement agency that originally issued the warrant.


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Galigani Law Firm | Arrest Warrant Defense Lawyer in Alachua County

If you are facing a warrant for failure to appear in Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, or any of the other areas in Alachua, Marion, and Columbia Counties, contact Galigani Law Firm to begin working on a proactive warrant resolution immediately. Your first consultation is free, so call (352) 375-0812 today and schedule yours.

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