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Bench Warrant (FL)

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BadBadBoss

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? FL

When I lived in FL in 1992 I got a DWI. I was sentenced to 6 months probation, 60 hours community service and the DWI classes. During the probation period I relocated back to New York legally with my probation officers permission. I completed the community service in NY, but I failed to take the DWI class. In a stroke of luck I was able to get my previous NY licence back without taking the class. I think this was before they linked all the computers. In any case, I have had that NY licence going on 14 years now and I have been able to renew it several times without question. In all honesty I have not had a moving violation since that DWI (thats 14 years). I guess thats a testament to my rehabilitation. The older, the wiser.
But I have recently (since 2003) been looking to relocate to NC. So a couple of years ago I applied for a licence in NC, but the DMV there told me that I had an outstanding issue in FL that prohibited them from issuing me a NC Licence (no details). I called the County Court in FL where the DWI occurred who stated that I had a outstanding bench warrant issued there and that I would need to surrender myself. Well, for obvious reasons, incarceration does not appeal to me (and I doubt it would bode well with my girlfriend, our kid or my workplace for the past 6 years either).

Q1: Will a statute run out on this bench warrant or the violation?

Q2: What can I do about this without turning myself in to FL, or making an admission to my current state (in an effort to take the DWI class 14 years late)? And would that really help anyway at this point?

Q3: Can it be settled with money (i.e. lawyer, fines, etc) without appearing? I have contacted a few FL lawyers by email without any response. What is it that bothers them about this issue?

Thanks in advance for any Professional, or at least educated, advice.
 


Kane

Member
BadBadBoss said:
What is the name of your state? FL


Q1: Will a statute run out on this bench warrant or the violation?
No. Warrants don't expire.

Q2: What can I do about this without turning myself in to FL, or making an admission to my current state (in an effort to take the DWI class 14 years late)? And would that really help anyway at this point?
Taking the class at this point will not affect the warrant.

Q3: Can it be settled with money (i.e. lawyer, fines, etc) without appearing?
You will almost certainly have to go to FL to take care of this warrant. If you have a lawyer ahead of time, he may well be able to make arrangements so that you don't have to spend any real time in jail.

I have contacted a few FL lawyers by email without any response. What is it that bothers them about this issue?
There's nothing about this case that would bother a criminal defense attorney. I would try contacting them by phone. Make they're criminal defense attorneys, not civil lawyers.
 

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