Hi Mr. Glew,
stating that there was a bench warrant for my arrest for failing to
pay fines from a DUI I got a couple years back. I don't know how
to clear this up without going into court but I'm afraid if I go to
court I will get arrested.
]
*See also:
Better Call Glew: Driving While Anxious
Better Call Glew: Divorce Edition
Better Call Glew: The Case of the Wanna-be Conspirator
The safest bet is to hire an attorney to go to court with you and quash the warrant. I say this because the clerk's office won't accept payments on a case that has gone to warrant. Thus, the warrant must be recalled by the judge before you can make any payment.
This is a serious situation because if you are picked up on the street, it could be very costly, as you would be taken into custody and your car, if you are driving, will most likely be impounded. Remember, police officers have the ability to see if there are any warrants for your arrest in the field, so a seemingly innocuous traffic stop can become a nightmare.
The best course of action for you to resolve this situation is to retain counsel, and if you are short on cash, many attorneys are willing to work out payment plans.
Send all questions to gl********@ya***.com. And remember, Better Call Glew!
Award-winning investigative journalist Nick Schou is Editor of OC Weekly. He is the author of Kill the Messenger: How the CIA’s Crack Cocaine Controversy Destroyed Journalist Gary Webb (Nation Books 2006), which provided the basis for the 2014 Focus Features release starring Jeremy Renner and the L.A. Times-bestseller Orange Sunshine: The Brotherhood of Eternal Love’s Quest to bring Peace, Love and Acid to the World, (Thomas Dunne 2009). He is also the author of The Weed Runners (2013) and Spooked: How the CIA Manipulates the Media and Hoodwinks Hollywood (2016).