If you have a warrent out for your arrest...

If you have a warrent out for your arrest in a state that you used to live in, but wasn't issued it until after you moved, what could you do? Could they get you no matter where you are? Could you ever go back to that state...even if a family emergency came up? HELP!!

I am by no means a lawyer but maybe I can help. Anytime there is a warrant issued, its usually issued on NCIC which is nationwide. Some smaller towns dont enter theyre traffic warrants or some misdemeanors on NCIC, but with the ever increasing technology, most do. If its a felony, you can be assured it will show up at any traffic stop or the such. If you get caught in the issuing state you will be arrested and taken to the issuing athourities. If your caught out of state you will be held on a fugitive complaint in that county pending an extradition hearing where you have the option to sign extradition papers giving the jurisdiction than wants you the permission to come get you at your exspense. If you dont sign, the court that is holding you will notify the athorities that want you to get a govenors warrant. The court that is holding you will give them a reasonable time to respond (usually 90 days). If theres no response, then they will release you on that matter. If the jurisdition that wants you can prove you left the state to avoid being arrested, they can also file another charge of flight to avoid prosecution. If its a violent crime or a drug crime they will get a govenors warrant whereas some white collar crimes or tickets they may not see it as being worth the trouble.Im not law enforcment but I suggest you face your problems and get the worries over with. Sometimes they will be alot easier on you if you go to them instead of them coming to you. I know from my own past experiences. Good luck.

Having the warrant issued after you moved doesn't make any difference, a warrant is a warrant (except if they can prove you fled to avoid arrest). We learned from experience that one can hire an atty in the State where the warrant is (public defenders aren't assigned til the hearing and so can't do this advance stuff) and have him call the DA to negotiate an orderly surrender date for you. The State does this to save themselves the cost of having to come get you when you live in another State, and then you get a couple of weeks to get your affairs all in order before turning yourself in. (You have to pay for your own travel costs either way, and if you get to do it yourself you can pick the cheapest fare----if they do it it's going to cost you a LOT MORE.) The atty also "bargains" with the DA for you. It depends on the type of warrant whether a court appearance is required (probably it is so you'd have to go back there to answer the charges) but your atty may be able to negotiate something that allows you to be back home the same day, depending on the charges against you and how tough the judge is.

My brother had joined the Legal Services Plan so called them, and they assigned him a really high-caliber atty in the other State. He is only paying $70 per hour for him which is a huge discount from normal rates (that's one of the benefits of the plan).

The State usually will not come get you because it costs them too much money. But if you get stopped for a traffic violation or anything, anywhere in the US, you will probably be picked up and held in jail until they can send you back to the original State. You can go to the other State to visit and as long as you don't get in any contact with the law (neighbors who know about the warrant tipping them off, or stopped for a traffic violation, or arrested for something else), you probably wouldn't be caught---unless you come from a really small town. Still, it's much better to face this and get it behind you, instead of having to worry all the time about your life being majorly interrupted at any moment by a minor traffic stop.

Your other alternative is to move out of the country.