Calgary · Warrant Checks
Warrant Checks Lawyer
What is a Warrant?
When you are charged with an offence, you will receive a mandatory court date. If you fail to attend court on that date or any subsequent court dates, you will have a warrant. Your charge(s) will then be at warrant status and they will remain at warrant status indefinitely. Warrants do not disappear on their own, even if decades have passed since they were first imposed.
If you have a warrant, a police officer can execute the warrant by re-arresting you. Although it is uncommon for police officers to go out of their way to execute a warrant, a routine traffic stop can now turn into a larger ordeal. Additionally, if you are re-entering the country, border services can execute the warrant.
If you are re-arrested, you will be given a new criminal charge and a new mandatory court date.
Warrant Checks
At Muenz Criminal Law, our Calgary criminal defence lawyers have never recommended leaving charges at warrant status. If you are unsure if you have any warrants, we can conduct a warrant check and determine what charges, if any, are at warrant status. Then we can help you deal with the warrants.
Arrest Warrant Check
What if I have a Warrant?
If you have any warrants, we can help you have the warrants dealt with in a manner that best preserves your interests. We can also provide you with pre-charge legal advice and be readily available to ensure you can contact us if the police are uncooperative.
After your warrants are dealt with, we can represent you in court to have all your charges dealt with, whether by resolution or trial.
Ask For Legal Advice Today
Learn more about warrants and how we can help you at Muenz Criminal Law.
Frequently asked
Questions we hear most.
Not automatically. The warrant authorizes the police to arrest the person and bring them before the court. Executing the warrant does not, by itself, create a new criminal charge.
However, if the warrant was issued because the accused failed to attend court or failed to comply with a release order, the Crown may approve a separate charge. Whether that occurs depends on the circumstances, including whether there was a lawful explanation for the failure
Often, yes. However, a lawyer may be able to contact the police and Crown in advance, arrange an appropriate time and discuss how release will be addressed. In a more serious case, advance planning may include preparing a release plan and arranging for a surety or other supporting information to be available.
In some circumstances, counsel may ask to bring the matter back before the court and request that the warrant be vacated without requiring the accused to attend a police station. This is not the usual procedure, and whether it is available depends on the type of warrant, the reason it was issued, the underlying charge and the court’s approval.
An active arrest warrant may be executed during a traffic stop, contact with police or another routine interaction. It may also be discovered when entering Canada, where border officials can involve the appropriate police service.
A warrant does not disappear merely because considerable time has passed. Leaving it unresolved may also affect future release decisions and how the underlying case proceeds.
A lawyer can make inquiries with the appropriate court, police service or Crown Prosecutor’s office to determine whether a warrant appears to be outstanding and identify the related charge.
The available information may depend on where the warrant was issued and whether it has been entered into the relevant police and court systems. If you suspect a warrant exists, obtain advice before attending a police station or courthouse.
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