Legal Definitions - warrant recall

Warrant recall refers to the official process of removing a previously issued arrest warrant from government databases once that warrant is no longer legally active or valid. This procedure is crucial to prevent individuals from being mistakenly arrested or detained based on outdated information.

• Example 1: Resolved Legal Obligation
  Sarah had an outstanding warrant for a minor traffic violation she had forgotten about. After receiving a reminder, she promptly paid the fine and all associated court costs. Once the payment was processed and the court confirmed the obligation was met, the court initiated a warrant recall. This action removed the warrant information from police databases, ensuring that if Sarah were pulled over for a routine traffic stop in the future, she would not be arrested for a matter that had already been legally resolved.

• Example 2: Warrant Issued in Error or Dismissed
  Mark was mistakenly identified in a shoplifting incident, leading to an arrest warrant being issued. However, further investigation, including reviewing surveillance footage, conclusively proved that Mark was not the perpetrator. The judge subsequently dismissed the charges and ordered a warrant recall. This procedure ensured that the invalid warrant was immediately removed from all law enforcement systems, preventing Mark from facing an wrongful arrest based on incorrect information.

• Example 3: Superseded or Quashed Warrant
  A judge issued a bench warrant for David's arrest when he failed to appear for a scheduled court hearing. David's lawyer quickly intervened, explaining the oversight and successfully rescheduling the hearing. The judge then agreed to quash (cancel) the original bench warrant, issuing a new summons for the rescheduled date instead. A warrant recall was promptly executed to remove the information about the canceled bench warrant from police and other official databases, ensuring David would not be arrested for the initial failure to appear, which had now been addressed and resolved by the court.