A warrant out for my arrest!?!?!

Belok · #1 03-11-2007, 01:08 PM

A bit more than a year ago, my gf and I decide to take a roadie.

We drove for a couple hours, parked by the river, and like complete morons, fell asleep in the car with her glass piece sitting in the cup holder.

We wake up around 3am to the *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* of some hick-ass local cop on our window.

The second I roll the window down, he reaches in, pulls out the bowl, decides its fresh, and activates "douchebag cop" mode.

After a few threats to "call in the dogs" "haul us both off to jail" etc etc, we decide to just give him the sack of weed. Maybe it was a mistake to give it up, but with these hick cops, sometimes hiding behind your rights can just piss them off even more.

I hand him the stemmiest, seediest, ugliest sack you've ever seen. There couldnt have been more than 1/2 a gram left either.

After another 5min lecture/ego stroke session, he decides that "there's probably less than an ounce in this bag" (o rly?) and he's just going to write me a ticket for possession.

In the end, I was given a ticket for possession, and my gf was given one for paraphenalia.

In the following weeks, my gf received her letter with a court date on it, but I never did. I decided to go with her to see if I was on the list for that day - I wasnt. Gf got off with a fine or something minor...but my ticket was still unresolved.

I went to the clerks office to see if anything had been turned in with my name on it, or if they had a court date scheduled, or anything. Explained my whole situation to them, etc - They could not find my name anywhere in their records. They even mentioned that it could be a misdemeanor for the officer that gave us the ticket if he didn't turn it in. (My gf was there to witness this exchange)

I didnt feel like I was completely out of the clear until a few months later when my license expired. But even then, after going to the BMV, they had no record of the occurance and reissued my license with no resistence.

There was never a single letter sent to my house about a court date, missing a court date, any warrants for my arrest, anything. I havent received 1 piece of paper about this encounter aside from the one ticket I was given >1yr ago.

I just learned about it today. The police had to come out to my Dad's house (long unrelated story), and they told him "Do you know that you have a warrant out for your arrest?". He had them doublecheck their computer, and it was actually me.

The point of this thread is to get some advice from people who may have been in a similar situation before. I'm afraid to even go down to the court house, in fear that they'd just lock me up the second I show up.

Do I need a lawyer? What possible punishment could I be facing? What is the next step I should take? Has anybody else experienced a situation like this before??

Thanks all

Cliff notes: Ticket for possession. Never received court date. Clerk said I had no record/nothing turned in. 1 year later I randomly find out there is a warrant for my arrest.

***edit***

Also, aside from a couple speeding tickets, my record is squeaky clean. Hopefully this should help my case...

By-Tor · #2 03-11-2007, 01:14 PM

you already answered your question (why it happened)...

[ QUOTE ]
and they told him "Do you know that you have a warrant out for your arrest?". He had them doublecheck their computer, and it was actually me.

[/ QUOTE ]

if they thought it was his today, they thought it was his yesterday...and the day before that...and so on...

your dad ignored it/never put 2+2 together and now you are going to federal pound you in the ass prison.

sorry.

emon87 · #3 03-11-2007, 01:15 PM

go. to. a. lawyer.

casey_brick · #4 03-11-2007, 01:15 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Do I need a lawyer?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hell yes.

esad · #5 03-11-2007, 01:16 PM

They just want their money. Call the court that the warrant was issued from and ask them how much they want and where you need to give them the money at. Go pay money. Or...

Get a lawyer and fight it. The lawyer route will cost you more money though.

Belok · #6 03-11-2007, 01:20 PM

[ QUOTE ]
They just want their money. Call the court that the warrant was issued from and ask them how much they want and where you need to give them the money at. Go pay money. Or...

Get a lawyer and fight it. The lawyer route will cost you more money though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you being serious? Does it work the same way with small hick towns?

I've never been in a situation anywhere near this magnatude before, I dont have any clue.

esad · #7 03-11-2007, 01:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They just want their money. Call the court that the warrant was issued from and ask them how much they want and where you need to give them the money at. Go pay money. Or...

Get a lawyer and fight it. The lawyer route will cost you more money though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you being serious? Does it work the same way with small hick towns?

I've never been in a situation anywhere near this magnatude before, I dont have any clue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, my sister works for a police dept. This happens all the time. Call the court. Explain the situation. Go pay money.

Now, if they want alot of money or you think they screwed up then go get a lawyer. Your first action should be to call the court though. The longer you go without paying the warrant the more it costs.

Belok · #8 03-11-2007, 01:26 PM

[ QUOTE ]
you already answered your question (why it happened)...

[ QUOTE ]
and they told him "Do you know that you have a warrant out for your arrest?". He had them doublecheck their computer, and it was actually me.

[/ QUOTE ]

if they thought it was his today, they thought it was his yesterday...and the day before that...and so on...

your dad ignored it/never put 2+2 together and now you are going to federal pound you in the ass prison.

sorry.

[/ QUOTE ]

They were at his house for a completely unrelated matter (he wasnt in any trouble), and when they looked up his address, my warrant popped up. I havent lived there for a year and a half, and have legally changed my address since then...

He didnt receive any letters about court dates or warrants either.

The cops only thought it was him because of the last name. If I happened to be visiting my dads house that night though, I'd have been arrested.

fish2plus2 · #9 03-11-2007, 01:29 PM

America, the new nazi germany.

Belok · #10 03-11-2007, 01:29 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
They just want their money. Call the court that the warrant was issued from and ask them how much they want and where you need to give them the money at. Go pay money. Or...

Get a lawyer and fight it. The lawyer route will cost you more money though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Are you being serious? Does it work the same way with small hick towns?

I've never been in a situation anywhere near this magnatude before, I dont have any clue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, my sister works for a police dept. This happens all the time. Call the court. Explain the situation. Go pay money.

Now, if they want alot of money or you think they screwed up then go get a lawyer. Your first action should be to call the court though. The longer you go without paying the warrant the more it costs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks very much for your advice. Courts are closed today, but I'm definitely calling first thing tomorrow.

I do have a lawyer I could call...but he aint cheap.

About what amount of $ would be reasonable for a situation like this? My gf's fine was something like 129$ for paraphenalia.

Thanks again