Three Tips For Safely Turning Yourself In For A Warrant
If you have a warrant out for your arrest, it's generally best to turn yourself in; otherwise, you risk being arrested unexpectedly, which can throw your life into chaos. However, it's important to prepare yourself for the event, so you spend a little time in jail as possible. Here are three tips for safely turning yourself in to satisfy a bench warrant:
Gather All the Necessary Information
The first thing you should do is gather as much information about your case as possible, such as why the warrant was issued and the case number. First, you'll need to provide this information to your attorney—which you definitely should consult with before turning yourself in—so he or she can provide sound legal advice about your case and keep you from incriminating yourself.
Second, many counties use bail schedules, and you'll be able to look up how much you're likely to be charged to be released from jail. This lets you gather together the money needed for your release or make arrangements with a bondsman beforehand to bail you out once you've been processed.
Choose the Right Day
The primary benefit of turning yourself in is that you can choose to do so when it's convenient for you. Instead of being arrested during a traffic stop and risking losing your job because you have to call off work, you can make arrangements to take time off to deal with your legal matter, for instance.
However, you still need to be careful about the actual date and time you decide to go in. Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are generally not good because a judge won't be able to review your case until the first business day afterward. Only choose these days if you're relatively certain you can get released using bond schedules.
Mondays and Fridays tend to be the busiest days for police, which means it may take a long time to process your paperwork. If you want to minimize your risk of having to stay in police custody for longer than necessary, turn yourself in on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday in the morning when it tends to be slower.
Dress Appropriately
Lastly, be sure to dress appropriately. You may have to change into jail-approved gear, so wear clothing that can easily be removed and don't have a lot of pockets (the police will search each pocket, which will take time). Do not wear any jewelry or bring any contraband items (e.g., pocket knife, cigarettes), as these items will usually be confiscated. If you need medication, contact the jail to find out what their policy is and package your medicines accordingly.
To learn more about turning yourself in for a warrant or assistance with bailing yourself out of jail, contact a bail bond company like Rader Bonding Co.