Warrants are typically issued by courts but can also be issued by one of the chambers of the United States Congress or other legislatures (via the call of the house motion) and other political entities. Warrants can be issued for a variety of reasons and in different cases including:. Warrants are a process issued by the court itself or "from the bench" for the attachment or arrest of a person. An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual. Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under section 83.

The judge must be satisfied that the person named in the warrant is (a) is evading service of the order, is about to abscond, or did not attend the examination, or did not remain in attendance, as required by the order. Once the warrant has been issued, section 29 of the Code requires that the arresting officer must give notice to the accused of the existence of the warrant, the reason for it, and produce it if requested. In the United States, an arrest warrant must be supported by a signed and sworn affidavit showing probable cause that: a specific crime has been committed, and the person(s) named in the warrant committed said crime.

Court records are some of the most comprehensive and credible public records available, which might explain why court house records are the most widely sought-after form of public record in the United States. Courts in the US exist at four levels: federal (nationwide), state, county (or parish) and local. Hence, the form and content of an arrest warrant may be similar to the following: Municipal Court, Springfield Judicial District To any peace officer of the realm: Complaint upon oath having been brought before me that the crime of larceny has been committed, and accusing Nelson Muntz of the same, you are hereby commanded forthwith to arrest and bring that person before me.

A mittimus is a writ issued by a court or magistrate, directing the sheriff or other executive officer to convey the person named in the writ to a prison or jail, and directing the jailor to receive and imprison the person. Typically, judges issue bench warrants for persons deemed to be in contempt of court possibly as a result of that person's failure to appear at the appointed time and date for a mandated court appearance. Commonly (but not always), the person who is subject to a bench warrant has intentionally avoided a court appearance to escape the perceived consequences of being found guilty of a crime. If a person was on bail awaiting criminal trial when the non-appearance took place, the court usually forfeits bail and may set a higher bail amount to be paid when the subject is re-arrested, but normally the suspect is held in custody without bail. The hearing usually results in the court setting a new bail amount, new conditions, and a new court appearance date. Every courtroom in every county in every state in the country operates under what are called "court rules," usually established by the local and state courts. It's often used to coerce reluctant parties to appear in court after they've already been ordered to court once.

Blatant indifference to a court rule, court order or court appearance is usually deemed "contempt of court" and a bench warrant is likely to follow on its heels. A summons to court isn't yours to evaluate. If the court says, "be here," you had best be there, on time and dressed appropriately. The court will usually authorize a "petition to show cause" that orders you to court to explain why you're not complying. Have you been subpoenaed (invited to court) to testify in a civil lawsuit, or produce financial records after a creditor won a money judgment against you. The warrants can be issued for civil or criminal cases, juvenile cases, divorce, child custody, misdemeanors and felonies, probate court, small claims and even post-judgment debt-collection actions.