An arrest warrant is issued when law enforcement has probable cause to believe that a person has committed a criminal offense. A bench warrant is commonly issued for failure to appear to a mandated court appearance. An individual may fail to appear to a scheduled court hearing because he or she never received from the court a notice to appear. This happens frequently when people move and the court does not have their current address.
If there is an outstanding bench or arrest warrant against you and you come into contact with law enforcement for committing a violation, you will be immediately taken into police custody and would have to post bail for your release or face other serious legal action. Contact a criminal defense attorney once you discover that a warrant has been issued in your name. A lawyer can apply the applicable legal principles to the circumstances of your warrant to quash the warrant and thereby save you from custody or other legal complications.