What will happen after I turn myself into the police on a warrant?
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What will happen after I turn myself into the police on a warrant?
Asked on July 13, 2013 under Criminal Law, Tennessee
Answers:
B.H.F., Member, Texas State Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
If there is a warrant for your arrest, then you should be arraigned on any pending charges shortly thereafter. At arraignment, they will advise you of your right to counsel.... if you cannot afford an attorney, you can request a court appointed attorney at that time. The exception would be basic traffic tickets-- usually the courts will not appoint attorneys for ticketable only offenses.
Once you are arraigned, you will be advised of the bail which has been set. You can post the bail amount directly, but many people used "sureties", also called bondsmen, to post their bonds. A majority of defendants are afforded the opportunity to bond. The exception would be if the charges were more serious and you have repeatedly jumped bond.
During the booking and arraignment process, it's incredibly important that you give a good mailing address for future correspondence. If you are set for court dates later, the address that you give at this time will be used for court notices. If you fail to appear for court because your notice went to an incorrect address, then a new warrant could be issued-- and you'll end-up in jail again... but with a higher bond.
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