Why Waiting On An Arrest Warrant Can Hurt Your Chicago Criminal Case

A person who finds out there may be a warrant for their arrest often feels trapped between fear and uncertainty. In Chicago, that fear is understandable because an arrest can happen almost anywhere. Police may discover the warrant during a traffic stop in the Loop, a call for service at an apartment building in Lincoln Park, a license plate check in Wicker Park, a domestic disturbance call in Bridgeport, or a routine encounter at a courthouse. Once the warrant is confirmed, the officer may take the person into custody even if the original issue started somewhere else in Illinois.

A warrant is not a conviction, but it is a serious court order. Under Illinois law, a warrant of arrest is a written order commanding that a person be arrested. Illinois law also permits arrest when an officer has a warrant or has reasonable grounds to believe a warrant exists. That means the practical danger is not only the charge itself. The danger is losing control over when, where, and how the case begins in court.