Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Re: Warrants

Either one will get you a ride in the back of a patrol car. A bench warrant earns you an immediate appearace before a judge, who usually has discretion to let you go. Bench warrants are normally the result of a failure to appear in court after being ordered to do so. An arrest pursuant to an arrest warrant is usually followed by new criminal charges, an arraignment and other proceedings such as a trial.