Planning an international trip that departs or arrives in Florida? Make sure you do not have an active arrest warrant.

At Thomas & Paulk, P.A. we have noticed an increasing number of people arrested when clearing customs in the United States. Due to ever increasing border security and better verification of identity at the border, customs officials are discovering many more arrest warrants than in previous years. In fact, we often find that clients are unaware that they have a warrant until informed by Customs and Border Protection Officers. Often, these warrants can be very old. We have had clients arrested at the border on warrants that are over twenty years old. Returning to the United States and being immediately arrested and taken to jail is a terrible way to end a cruise or vacation.

Many times when a client finds they have an old arrest warrant, we determine that it is for failure to appear on a criminal charge. For example, many years ago a client may have written a bad check and then moved prior to getting notice of the court date. As a result, the court issued a warrant when the client did not appear in court. If the client has no contact with law enforcement, this warrant can stay active for years. Then the client decides to take a cruise or international vacation. When they return to Florida, the list of passengers on the cruise is checked by Customs and Border Protection Officers and the warrant is discovered. When the client returns, they are met by law enforcement and arrested on the warrant. If the warrant has no bond, they will be held in jail until they are taken to the county where the warrant was issued.

Obviously, you do not want to find yourself in the above situation. If you are planning on taking an international trip arriving in Florida, but you have an active warrant for your arrest, you need to take steps to resolve the warrant before your trip. A Tampa criminal defense attorney at Thomas & Paulk, P.A. can help you get your case in front of the court that issued the warrant before your trip so that your vacation does not end in an arrest. If your family member was arrested after returning to the United States, you should immediately contact an attorney at Thomas & Paulk. We can research the warrant and inform you of what steps need to be taken to resolve the case. If you have an arrest warrant from Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, or Pasco County contact Thomas & Paulk today for a confidential and free consultation.

At Thomas & Paulk, P.A. we are often asked the above question. Understandably, clients are unsure of what action they should take if they learn that they have an outstanding warrant issued by a court in Florida. If you find yourself in this situation, it is important you speak with a criminal defense attorney about your case. For clients who are unsure about why the warrant was issued, we can research the warrant and help you find the best way to deal with the warrant.

Many times we find that a client missed court because they did not receive proper notice of the court date. When we discover this is the reason why you did not appear in court, we can file a motion with the court. We then present evidence in court that you did not willingly fail to appear. If the court finds that you did not receive notice for your court date, the court can withdraw the warrant for your arrest.

If you did have notice of your court date but failed to appear for another reason, a Tampa criminal defense attorney at Thomas & Paulk can still help you try to get your warrant resolved. We can get your case before the court and explain the reason that you missed the court date and request the court withdraw your warrant. It is important that the court know that you are ready to appear in court to face your charges. If you wait until after you have been arrested on the outstanding warrant, it is always more difficult to explain your reason for missing court and argue that you are ready to face the consequences. It may also take several days or weeks for your case to get before the court if you are arrested on your warrant.

A warrant may also be issued for your arrest if there is an alleged violation of probation. If you are on probation and your probation officer has filed a violation of probation affidavit with the court, a warrant will likely be issued for you arrest. In these cases it is import that you contact one of our lawyers as soon as you become aware of the alleged violation. Most warrants for violation of probation are issued with no bond. If your warrant has no bond, you will be held in jail until your case comes before the judge that issued the warrant. Again, it can take days or weeks for your case to come before the court. At Thomas & Paulk we can help you get a court date set before the judge on your case so that you can resolve the violation as soon as possible. As discussed earlier, it is always better to take steps to show the court that you understand the violation and have taken steps to resolve the situation. Dealing with a violation in this way can also save you the embarrassment of having law enforcement arrest you at home or work.

If you have a warrant for your arrest in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco or Polk County, contact a Tampa criminal defense lawyer  at our office for a confidential and free consultation. We know that having a warrant for you arrest is a stressful situation and we are ready to help you today. Call one of our attorneys at 813-221-4200.