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My question involves an arrest warrant from the State of: Indiana
I could not fulfill my obligations for probation for Public Intoxication and I'm due for a hearing in court. I am moving to Chicago in a few weeks but it says if I dont show up I'll be issued an arrest warrant. Will that effect me in Chicago?
Where are you now?
An arrest warrant will follow you the rest of your life as long as you don't take care of it. Not only will an arrest warrant out of Indiana be valid in Chicago, it would be valid if you moved half way around the globe.
Will Indiana pay to bring you back from Chicago or half way around the globe on a warrant for public intoxication? Most likely not.
I have seen where someone was locked up in Fort Lee, NJ with a warrant out of NYC, let out of custody because NYC didn't want to send a car over the bridge into NJ to get that person. NYC will catch up with the individual later on down the road.
I have also seen where one small town will travel 150 miles out of state to bring back a person with a warrant for disorderly conduct. So what Indiana will do is unpredictable, but one thing for certain is you will go to your grave with that warrant.
You are right to a degree. Granted, there is no expiration an a warrant. however, some warrants have geographical limitations. There can a valid active warrant, but if you are not in the surrounding area of that jurisdiction, you may not be touched. That's why I ask, where are you now?
I'm in Indiana. Moving to Chicago
Honestly, I'd show up for the hearing.
It means you will be arrested in Chicago when you're pulled over instead of Indiana on the warrant. Just go to court, It's just a PI charge, why make it worse?
well if they are surely going to revoke my probation and I dont know that its worth the headache to show up or just take the contempt of court warrant since I'm moving out of state. I honestly dont think they'll drive to Chicago looking for me
I can almost guarantee that they won't be driving anywhere to look for you. Unless you're on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted list, police generally don't go LOOKING for people with warrants....rather, most of them are served "surprise" style when a wanted person comes into contact with law enforcement for minor things like noise complaints, minor traffic accidents (regardless of whose fault it was), or routine traffic stops, and the warrant just happens to be discovered. Nasty thing about having an outstanding warrant is that you have no way to predict when, how, or under what circumstances it'll come up to bite you.
Having an active warrant can not only result in unwanted law enforcement detentions and arrests while they confirm that Indiana will not extradite you, but it can other more drastic circumstances.
Having an arrest warrant can make you ineligible for some government aid (loans, welfare, SSI), it can result in jobs not being extended to you (no employer worth a darn is going to hire someone that has an arrest warrant), and might even result in the suspension of your driver's license which could also extend to the state you move to.
Yes, this can haunt you for many years to come.