Bench Warrant Arrest

A bench warrant is an arrest warrant issued by a judge or court most commonly when a defendant fails to appear at a scheduled court hearing.

Bench warrant arrest. The bench warrant authorizes police officers to arrest the named person and bring him before the judge. Failure to comply with either can result in serious consequences. A bench warrant is typically issued in the case of a failure to appear for trial sometimes abbreviated fta the bench is the traditional term for the judge s seat.

A bench warrant is an arrest warrant that is ordered by a judge against the defendant in a criminal case or a similar proceeding such as for a traffic ticket. Arrest warrants and bench warrants are issued under different circumstances. Once a bench warrant is issued however the police can treat it like any other arrest warrant and use it to bring the defendant back in front of the judge.

Speaking more technically a bench warrant is issued by a judge when a defendant violates the rules of the court. This is also known as a failure to appear or fta warrant.