Two year ago I got three tickets, two for minor in possession and one for driving with a beginners permit. I was unable to appear in court for the tickets, for I live in another state, and I was unable to pay the fines at the time. Because I was unable to pay the tickets bench warrants were posted for my arrest. I am able to pay the tickets off now, but I am unsure how to go about doing so. And if I pay off the tickets, what happens to the warrants? Will I go to jail or can I pay the warrants off too?

How do you know that there are warrants out for you? I would call them and not give them any indication on who you are and just ask what to do in your situation and see what they say. Regardless of the fact it needs to be addressed, especially now that you can take care of them.

Hello trach:

You need to go to the court in person and get your case on the calendar. You can probably post a bail and get a hearing date. You'll have to come back for the hearing. If you have the same situation in another county, then you need to do the same thing there.

Once you do that, the warrants will be cancelled. However, until then, lots of things can happen, none of them good.

excon

excon: I do not live in the state that these warrents were issued, nor am I able to go there any time soon.

Where do you get your information from? Have you had to deal this type of problem yourself? And what do you mean that lots of things can happen? Nothing has happened in two years and I know that I can go to jail, I am trying to avoid that.

There is no other way to take care of this without having to go to court?

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Originally Posted by trach

Where do you get your information from? There is no other way to take care of this without having to go to court?

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Hello again, trach:

You asked for information. I told you exactly what to do. You want to know my credentials?? Check out my name. I'm not going to lie to you.

Yes, there is another way to take care of this without having to go to court - initially. But you WILL have to make an appearance, eventually. Hire a lawyer in the state where you have your troubles. The courts will NOT adjudicate this case without looking into your face. It doesn't happen by mail. That's just the way they operate.

It's true, you had a chance to mail in your fine without ever having to make an appearance. You blew that opportunity.

So, you've got TWO choices: 1) go there yourself, or 2) hire a lawyer to do it for you.

Calling them or writing to them isn't going to do squat. Courts don't do their stuff by mail or telephone, especially when you've already split! Why would you think they would? They're going to do it on their terms, not yours. If you give them your address, they'll just arrest your little butt, and bring you back that way. No matter how you slice it, you are going back.

excon

Yes a WARRANT is a order to appear, you are going to have to appear, and this was the problem before you did not take it serious.

Now one night when on the way to work, or on a date or taking a family member to the doctor and you get stopped by the police for speeding, for tail light, and the police put you in hand cuffs and take you to jail to hold you while the other state decides if they are going to extridite you or not.

Then you may decide that oh, maybe I should hire an attorney in that area, to arrange bail and arrange me to turn myself in, and arrange the court appearance.

Because a warrant is going to hurt any good jobs and other issues, it needs to be cleared up. When a officer is putting hand cuffs on you in the futue, remember excon and I are telling you "I told you so"

But as noted, YOU are going back, one way or another at some point and time.

And at the time you got the tickets, you got there somehow didn't you, to get those tickets, so don't say I can't get there, you are saying you don't WANT to at this point and time.

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Originally Posted by trach

I was unable to appear in court for the tickets, for I live in another state, and I was unable to pay the fines at the time. Due to the fact that I was unable to pay the tickets..........

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Hello again, trach:

I also want to correct a bit of your English. You were perfectly able to pay your fines. The fact is, you DIDN'T. You absolutely could have, even if you had to collect cans to do it.

I point this out to you, so that you might begin to change the conversation you have with yourself. If you want to stay out of trouble, it's essential.

Now, I'm sure you convince yourself (like you tried to convince us) that you're not to blame. Something came up. It's not your fault.

That's crap!

Now, I don't care if you pay your fines or not. I don't work for them. In truth, I hate cops. So, if you want to tell me that you just ain't going to give those jerks any of your money, that's cool. I can respect that.

excon

I want to thank you for the advice. Excon, I was not trying to challenge you when I wrote back, you are right, I don't want to hear what you are saying because I already knew all those answers. I do want you to know that at the time I got my tickets my parents were still supporting me and I did not want them to get involved. Since then I have emancipated myself from my parents and support myself, that's why I am trying to take care of this problem. I also did not run from this problem, I go to school in another state and I was visiting my parents when I got my tickets. Sorry for sounding like a stupid little girl, that's not really me, I only worte this question to see what my options were not to feel like a piece of for making a mistake. Once again thanks for the advice, its really put how serious this is in perspective.