Petty Warrants in Florida

[rolls.royce]

Hello,


I have 2 warrants in Florida issued at the end of 06 or beginning of 07. They are:

(562.111) - Poss Alcohol Person Under 21 Bond-$500

(812.014.2) - Petit Theft 2nd Degree Bond-$500


I was wondering since I have started a family since then, and don't want to go back and have to turn myself in, and also don't want to spend the rest of my life in Indiana, if I could call and somehow get the charges dismissed or pay a fine. Are either of these citable charges? I figure since they're getting old (over a year now) if they might just want to clear it from their system since they're just petty.


Thanks

[outonbail]

Originally Posted by rolls.royce

Hello,


I have 2 warrants in Florida issued at the end of 06 or beginning of 07. They are:

(562.111) - Poss Alcohol Person Under 21 Bond-$500

(812.014.2) - Petit Theft 2nd Degree Bond-$500


I was wondering since I have started a family since then, and don't want to go back and have to turn myself in, and also don't want to spend the rest of my life in Indiana, if I could call and somehow get the charges dismissed or pay a fine. Are either of these citable charges? I figure since they're getting old (over a year now) if they might just want to clear it from their system since they're just petty.


Thanks

Over a year now?

It's nice to hear you're concerned with your "petty" cases cluttering up the courts computer system. But you shouldn't worry about that, they have plenty of room.

So you're saying that you have two warrants out already, plus, I would imagine an additional charge of failing to appear. Now your hoping the court just wants to clear them from their system because they're over a year old.

I don't think the court will be clearing anything without a face to face. You can try contacting an attorney who frequently practices in the court handling your cases and see what can be arranged. But I wouldn't get my hopes up on not having to appear in person.

The good news is that they will not be traveling to India to pick you up. So you may want to get yourself settled there and forget about visiting our country ever again.

Because if Florida learns you and the family are visiting Disney World, it will not be the happiest place on earth.

[rolls.royce]

actually its Indiana ... not India ....

and there is no such thing as a failure to appear because I found out about the warrants AFTER I moved up here.

[acmb05]

Originally Posted by rolls.royce

actually its Indiana ... not India ....

and there is no such thing as a failure to appear because I found out about the warrants AFTER I moved up here.

Call the courts where the warrants were issued. It could be possible that they would just require you to pay fines and costs and the warrants would be dismissed. I had this happen to me with a failure to appear from 1989. Cost me a little over 400 dollars in fines and costs and warrants were dismissed along with the case.

They want your money not you. The courts are overcrowded and so are the jails. You tell them you live in another state now and want to see if you can settle this.

[outonbail]

Originally Posted by rolls.royce

actually its Indiana ... not India ....

Sorry for the mistake.

and there is no such thing as a failure to appear because I found out about the warrants AFTER I moved up here.

So these are actually arrest warrants, not bench warrants?

In other words, you're being charged with these crimes, but haven't actually been arrested or issued a citation for them yet?
I could see that happening in the theft case, but how would you get charged with possession of alcohol by a person under 21 if you weren't actually caught by a police officer?

Either way, I still think they will want to see you in person. But your best bet is to either call the court and ask them, or contact a lawyer and ask if he/she can appear on your behalf.

[rolls.royce]

Thanks for the replies and I think I'll just call like you guys said and see if I can pay. The reason they got me for underage possession of alcohol is cause I was on camera at a 7-11 where I used to work buying alcohol, and I didn't actually steal it, my friend was working but was busy so I went to the register and rung myself out, but took a sticker off of something that costs the equal amount as the alcohol and put it over the barcode of the wine, just so it didn't show up on the computer later that alcohol was sold and the manager didn't go over the camera at that time to check and see if i-d was checked etc, etc. I rung it up and paid for it myself while he was in the back working. I know there's no way to prove that I didn't steal it but I don't mind paying a fine.


Thanks all