How to deal with a warrant in Ohio

Dealing with a warrant for your arrest can be a stressful experience. In Ohio, judges issue warrants to authorize law enforcement to arrest someone and bring them to court.

There are different types of warrants, including arrest warrants for serious crimes and warrants for issues like failing to appear in court for a traffic violation. It’s important to understand how these warrants work and what you can do if one is issued for you. If you ignore a warrant, even a simple traffic-related warrant, it can lead to serious consequences. Consequences could include arrest, license suspension or additional fines.

Types of warrants

Failure to Appear Warrant

A Failure to Appear (FTA) warrant is one of the most common types of warrants. They can be issued for missed court dates related to traffic tickets, driving under suspension or other minor infractions. A judge issues an FTA warrant when you miss a scheduled court date. For example, if you got a ticket for driving with a suspended license and failed to attend your hearing, the court may issue an FTA warrant for your arrest.

Arrest or Issued before Appearance (IBA) Warrant

An Issued before Appearance (IBA) warrant can be issued if there is probable cause to believe that a person has committed a felony. These types of warrants usually happen at the beginning of a new criminal case. They are sometimes called “Arrest” or “IBA” warrants.

Probation Warrant

A judge may issue a warrant if the person under a sentence of community control, also called probation, violates the rules of supervision. Probation warrants are sometimes called different things including: PV warrant, VOP warrant or probation capias.

How to check if you have a warrant

Some warrants are available to the public and some aren’t. For example, an FTA Warrant is usually available to the public, but an Arrest Warrant for a felony indictment may not be.     

If you suspect a warrant has been issued, you can often find out by checking the clerk of courts websites for your county. You can find your local clerk by going to “Local Government and Community Resources” on this page. You may need to update your county information to see all available resources.

Many courts list active warrants online, so search for your name in the court’s docket. Look for the following phrases: 

• “Warrant issued" 
• “Warrant status,” 
• “IBA issued,” 
• “Capias issued,” 
• “Request for capias granted,” 
• “Holder issued,” 
• “Case inactive until Defendant appears,” 

If you see this kind of language, there is a strong chance that you have a warrant for your arrest.

If your warrant is not public, or if you don't know which court issued it, you can contact a lawyer or your local public defender’s office for guidance. They can help you navigate the situation and avoid potential pitfalls. You can find your local bar association lawyer referral service and your local public defender by going to Legal Help and Lawyers on this page.

What to do if you have a warrant

If you find out that a warrant has been issued, it’s important to act quickly.

Speak with a lawyer. If you have a lawyer, reach out to them right away. If you are unable to afford a lawyer, consider contacting the public defender. They can help you understand your options and the best way to resolve the warrant. You do not have to speak with law enforcement about why the warrant was issued. Your safest course of action is to work with a lawyer to address the warrant.

You can find your local bar association lawyer referral service and your local public defender by going to “Legal Help and Lawyers” on this page.

If you cannot speak with a lawyer, you may want to contact the clerk of courts for the court that issued the warrant. You can ask for information about the court’s processes for handling warrants. The clerk of courts may be able tell you the days of the week that the court handles open warrants. For example, if you have a warrant for failure to appear for a hearing for a misdemeanor traffic violation you may try to handle it this way.  If you do, when you appear in court, the judge will address the reason for your warrant. If it’s a traffic issue, they may discuss your suspended license or unpaid fines. Depending on the circumstances, the judge may release you, hold you in custody or set a bond.

What happens if I am arrested on a warrant

If you’re arrested on a warrant, you’ll be taken to jail until you can go to court, or in rare cases, until you post bond. You must see the judge who issued the warrant before you can be released. This might happen quickly, or you could wait a few days.

When you see the judge, they will start addressing why the warrant was issued. 

• If you were arrested because a new case was filed, that case will start, and the judge will decide if you should be released, held or have a bond set. 
• If you were arrested because you failed to appear for a court date, the judge will decide if you should be released or may change the terms or conditions of your release.
• If you were arrested for a probation violation, you may face more legal steps. There’s a chance your probation could be revoked or taken away.

How a public defender can help

If you can't afford a private lawyer, a public defender may be appointed to help you, especially if you are facing jail time. The public defender’s office can often give you information about handling the warrant before you are arrested.

If you're arrested and you qualify, you’ll be assigned a public defender to represent you in court. 

While you wait for a lawyer, remember you do not have to discuss your case with law enforcement or anyone else. Anything you say can be used against you. This step will increase the chances that a public defender can successfully represent you on any charges you face.

Avoiding future warrants

Missing a court date can lead to serious consequences, including license suspensions, extra fines, and jail time. Here are some ways to avoid getting into this situation:

• Keep track of court dates. Mark them on your calendar and set reminders.
• Communicate with the Court. If you can’t make a court date, contact the court ahead of time to ask for a new date or explain your situation.
• Handle tickets quickly. Pay fines or take steps to address any license suspension or other issues as soon as possible.

A warrant doesn’t go away on its own. The sooner you take steps to resolve it, the better. Taking action can prevent bigger problems down the road. Reach out to a lawyer or public defender to help you navigate the process and get back on track.

Thank you to the Ohio Public Defender’s office for their Primer Sheet on Warrants.