Dealing With A Warrant For Your Arrest: Why Fleeing Isn't A Good Idea

When there's a warrant out for your arrest, it's natural to be scared of the possibilities you're facing -- especially if the charges are serious. However, it's never a good idea to flee to a different state or different country and hope that you'll leave your legal troubles behind. 

More than likely, you'll eventually get caught and face a process known as extradition. Here's how it works -- and what you should do instead of waiting for it to happen.

Extradition Between the States

Generally speaking, fleeing to another state may work for a while. However, the warrant for your arrest will be entered into the National Crime Information Center database. That means that if you commit so much as a traffic violation, the officer who pulls you over will see the out-of-state warrant and arrest you.

Trying to hide under an assumed name probably won't help. In addition, if the charges are serious or involve federal crimes, the authorities may expend considerable effort to track you down. These days, it isn't very easy to live under an assumed name and totally "off the grid" where you can't be detected.

Once you are arrested, the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act allows most states to request your extradition from wherever you are back to the state where you are facing charges. Even if that Act doesn't apply, federal law probably will if you are accused of with any serious crime, like a felony.

Extradition From Another Country

Maybe you're contemplating taking refuge in another country like Julian Assange did when he hid inside Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid charges in both the United Kingdom and the United States. While his circumstances were unique and delayed his arrest for years -- he ultimately ended up facing international extradition anyhow.

Most people who flee to other countries face extradition as soon as they are found. The United States maintains extradition treaties with many countries that basically ensures that neither country will harbor fugitives from the other. If your crimes are serious, you'll probably be apprehended by local authorities and handed right back to the United States.

The Consequences of Fleeing

Fleeing prosecution will likely add to your legal woes -- increasing the charges against you and the potential penalties. Even if you evade arrest for a while, it's certainly likely to be a stressful life that won't bring you any resolution. It could also be dangerous. Bounty hunters frequently take on the job of tracking down fugitives from justice and they aren't known for being shy about using force on their targets.

If there's a warrant out for your arrest, talk to a criminal defense attorney immediately about how you can arrange to turn yourself in safely, what you can do to get bail, and what strategy you can use for your defense. For more information, contact companies like Shefferman Law.