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Please help me figure out how to take care of a warrant

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AdamDee

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Idaho

Hi. I have a misdemeanor class C warrant for writing a bad check that I would really like to take care of. It is in the same state that I live in, but a different part of the state. I would like to get it taken care of because I want to go get my driver's license and am afraid in doing so that I will be taken into custody and lose my jobs, and the life I have built for myself. I will give as much information as possible about the situation in order to get the best answer.

I am 32 now. When I was 18 I stole a checkbook out of a car and wrote checks on the account. I served five years in prison for it and when I was released I tried really hard to turn my life around. However, shortly after I was released, a friend lent me his car for a week while he was out of town, and I scraped a pole. I wrote a check to a car detailer to get the damaged fixed. I did not intend to defraud him at the time, but it turned out I never was able to deposit the $150 to cover the check and he filed criminal charges. I had moved across the country by the time he filed the charges however.

While browsing the criminal records recently on my state's public records website I discovered the warrant. I assume it is a bench warrant because the case history goes something like this.

case created
case opened
charge created
charge filed cause found
summons issued
arraignment
not found summons
warrant created
warrant issued
reviewed and retained (2 years later)

The maximum sentence for this class C misdemeanor (Idaho Code 18-3106) is six months and a one thousand dollar fine. However, on a third or subsequent offense, the jail term can be three years and the fine up to $50,000. I don't know if my previous history of forgery counts towards that.

The bottom line is, I really don't want to go to jail. I have completely turned my life around, and have been living without committing even the smallest infraction for more than five years. I have two jobs - I write and I manage an apartment building, and if I go to jail I will lose both of them. Even if I went down there to turn myself in and bailed myself out of jail (I think the bond is $250) I would still lose my jobs. I'm more than happy to take care of any restitution costs, but would prefer not to be on probation if possible.

Is there any way I can take care of this from where I live now via an attorney, without going to jail, so that I can go to the DMV and get my driver's license and buy a car?

Thanks for any advice you can give.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


justalayman

Senior Member
I doubt the warrant would show up through the DMV records systems. Most states are not that connected throughout their various systems. No guarantees though.

getting your license would mean you are more exposed to a meeting with your local police. Speeding, rolling through a stop sign, failing to use a turn signal; things many do without intent to actually commit a crime but is it enough to get you a face to face with a cop. Then is when your warrant would likely show up.


You don't get a choice of how to deal with this though. Paying the restitution does not remove the fact there is a warrant from the state. There are separate issues.

Sorry but the fact that you have now gone down the straight and narrow path doesn't mean you don't have to answer for issues in your past.


Is there any way I can take care of this from where I live now via an attorney,
no

without going to jail,
that is up to the court.

a comment:

the fact you have waited so long to take care of this, and are only doing it to further yourself, shows a lack of remorse and true desire to do "the right thing". That doesn't look good in court.
 

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