questions & answers

Question: I am currently residing in the state of Florida, and I have an outstanding misdemeanor case in Arizona that I would like to take care of. I am interesting to know how I would properly file a jp44 motion to quash warrants and request a new hearing date, as well as request a telephonic hearing. Any information would be greatly appreciated. W. Carr

Answer: Bench warrants are issued by a judge or magistrate when a person fails to comply with orders of the court. Typically, bench warrants are filed when a criminal defendant fails to show up at a scheduled court date. Though the laws governing the use of bench warrants differ from state to state, you may be able to have a warrant quashed (overthrown) by convincing the judge you had a valid reason to violate the court's order. You should try to find out what court issued the warrant. If you don't know, you can call the local police and tell them you have a warrant you want to take care of and could they please tell you what court the warrant came from. According to the AZ Supreme Court website you may, if authorized by the court and the case is a misdemeanor, a telephonic plea may be available provided the defendant is an out of state resident or resides more than 100 miles from the court. . This is for informational purposes only; for legal advice or to see how the law applies to your specific set of circumstances please seek the help of an attorney.