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Frost Law GroupSummerville, SC(843) 419-6653
Criminal defense · Summerville, SC

Arrest Warrants in Summerville, SC

A warrant does not go away, and being picked up at work or at a traffic stop is the worst way to deal with it. There is a better one.

Schedule a consultation(843) 419-6653

Two kinds of warrants

  • Arrest warrants are issued by a magistrate or municipal judge on an officer's sworn affidavit that there is probable cause you committed a crime (S.C. Code § 22-5-110). Jack has written hundreds; he knows what a sufficient affidavit looks like and what a deficient one looks like.
  • Bench warrants are issued by a judge when you miss a court date or violate a court order. They usually come with a bond revocation and a license suspension for failure to appear on a traffic charge.

If you think there is a warrant

  1. Do not wait for the knock. Warrants are served at traffic stops, at work and at 6 a.m. at home. None of those lets you prepare.
  2. Call us first. We confirm whether a warrant exists and what it charges through the issuing court or agency, without exposing you.
  3. Arrange the surrender. We schedule a time to turn yourself in at the detention center, often with the bond hearing arranged so you are processed and released the same day. For some charges we can ask that a courtesy summons be used instead of an arrest.
  4. Prepare for bond. Employment letter, residence proof, family present—what the judge weighs. See bond hearings.
  5. Start the defense. A warrant is the beginning of a case, not a verdict. The affidavit is the first thing we attack.

Bench warrants

If you missed a court date, the fix is a motion to recall the bench warrant and reset the case—faster and cheaper than being arrested on it. Many people miss dates because a notice went to an old address; the court is usually willing to reset once, with counsel.

Warrants from other counties or states

Charleston County warrants are served in Dorchester County and vice versa, and out-of-state warrants lead to extradition holds. We coordinate with the issuing jurisdiction so a surrender happens once, in the right place.

Frost first: if an officer or investigator calls and asks you to “come in and talk,” there is a reasonable chance a warrant already exists. Call us before you go.

Think there is a warrant with your name on it?

Call. We will find out quietly and arrange the surrender on your terms.

Schedule a consultation(843) 419-6653

Questions people ask

How do I check for a warrant in Dorchester County?

The sheriff's office and the magistrate's court can confirm active warrants, but calling them yourself can prompt an arrest. Let us check on your behalf.

Will I have to spend the night in jail?

Usually not when a surrender is arranged with a bond hearing scheduled; processing and release often happen the same day.

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