How to Check for a Warrant — And What to Do Next

Issued when you miss a court date. Often more fixable than people think — even for old traffic tickets.

A bench warrant is issued by a judge when you fail to appear in court. This is the most common warrant Chad deals with, and in many cases it is more fixable than people realize. Chad had a client recently who needed to cross the border for a family emergency and suddenly remembered an old traffic violation that had probably gone to a bench warrant. On something like that — a small traffic ticket — a good bondsman will tell you the truth: you may not need a bail bond at all. Go straight to the court window, pay the ticket, and get it cleared. Chad is not going to take your money on a bond when a $200 ticket payment solves the problem. Call him first and he will tell you exactly what you are actually dealing with.

Issued by a judge based on probable cause. Every arrest warrant is different — county, timing, probation status, attorney, cosigners. Chad works through all of it with you before you take a single step.

An arrest warrant is issued by a judge when there is probable cause that a crime was committed. But unlike a bench warrant, there is no one-size-fits-all answer — the right move depends on a lot of variables, and getting it wrong costs you time in a cell. Here is what Chad works through with every client who has an arrest warrant. Which county issued the warrant? Every county has different facilities, different processing times, and different options for resolution. The station you choose and the day you go matters enormously. Do you have an attorney? If so, there may be an option to put the warrant on the court calendar — you walk in with the attorney and Chad, appear before the judge, post the bond, and walk out without ever being booked. That is the cleanest outcome when it is available. Are you on probation or parole? If so, the arrest warrant may trigger a hold on top of the new charge. That changes the timeline and the options — Chad needs to know this upfront. Who are the cosigners and are they ready? Before you walk in anywhere, Chad wants the cosigners identified, applications filled out, and paperwork done. If bail is posted the moment you finish booking, you are out the same day. If the cosigner is scrambling to find Chad after the fact, you are sitting there waiting. What is the bail amount? On many arrest warrants, bail is already set by the judge when the warrant is issued. Chad can find out the amount before you go anywhere — no surprises, everything ready to post the moment you are processed.

The court must verify bail money is not from criminal proceeds. Being out of custody makes this dramatically easier to resolve.

A PC 1275 hold means the court needs to hold a hearing before bail can be posted — they are verifying that the money used for bail does not come from criminal activity. This is a more involved process, but here is the most important thing Chad wants people to understand: if you are out of custody when this hold comes up, everything is dramatically easier. When you are out, Chad can sit down with you, gather all the names and numbers of everyone involved, sort out who the cosigners are, figure out who is paying what, and collect all the documentation needed for the hearing — without any of it happening on a recorded jail phone line with a time limit. The moment you are behind bars trying to work this out on a paid recorded call, everything gets harder and slower. If you know a PC 1275 hold is possible or likely, call Chad immediately while you are still free.

Not always permanent. The reason matters — probation violations, parole holds, and new charges each have different timelines and options.

A no-bail hold sounds like the end of the road, but it depends entirely on why the hold exists. Chad has seen this come up for several different reasons and the situation is different each time. If you are on probation or parole and there is a violation, there may be a mandatory hold period — one to ten days is common, but it can be 30, 60, or 90 days depending on how serious the violation is and what your probation or parole officer is requesting. In some cases the hold means you have to turn yourself in and serve the violation time before you become eligible for a bond on any new charge. If the case is purely a violation with no new criminal case attached, there may be no bond available at all — you serve the violation time and get released when it is done. The key is to be completely open with Chad about everything. He is not here to judge you. He needs the full picture to tell you honestly what your options are and what the realistic timeline looks like.