Clearing Warrants

In Massachusetts there are two types of arrest warrants: Default Warrants and Straight Warrants.

Default Warrants

A default warrant is issued when a person fails to appear in Court after having been given notice to appear; for example, a person is arrested for operating under the influence and is brought to a police station. The police call in a bail commissioner who sets cash bail. The person puts up the cash bail and signs a “recognizance” form. A “recognizance” form is a “promise to appear” in a specified court at a specified time on a specified date. The person then fails to appear in court on that specified date and the court issues a default warrant.

Staright Warrants

A straight warrant is issued when the police go to a court and ask the court to issue a criminal complaint against an individual and the police want to arrest the person rather than have him/her summonsed into court. The court issues a “straight” warrant to the police and the police go out and try to locate the person and arrest the person. Another example of a straight warrant is when a person is on Probation and fails to report or respond to his/her probation officer. The Probation Officer can go to the Judge and ask the Judge to issue a straight warrant for the person’s arrest.

Warrants can Create Havoc!

Having a warrant outstanding against you can create havoc for you. Your license can be revoked. If you receive benefits from the government, your benefits can be shut off. If you are picked up on a default warrant it is unlikely you will be released until you are brought to court and brought before a judge. It is not unusual for the police to wait till the Friday afternoon of a long weekend to arrest someone on a warrant. The person will sit in jail Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday night, and Monday night and not be brought to court until Tuesday morning.

Attorney Lewin often gets calls from people with outstanding warrants and arranges to bring them before the judge before they get arrested and he gets them released.

If you have an outstanding warrant or warrants call Attorney Lewin. Completely private/confidential communications can be had over the phone or in person and we can bring you into court and get the warrant(s) cleared. If you have a family member who has just been picked up on a warrant call Attorney Lewin for prompt advice.