Legal Question in Criminal Law in Massachusetts

outstanding warrants

2 part question:

is there anyway i can find out if i have an outstanding warrant without going to the court house?

if i do have an outstanding warrant it would be for failure to complete community service which was issed for a ''drinking alcoholic beverages in public'' charge 3 years ago in boston, MA. should i be worried about being pulled in for this if i am not living in MA? ie - i get pulled over driving in NY and they run my license. would i come up as having a misdemeanor warrant in MA? would i be taken to jail, then shipped back to boston?

thanks!


Asked on 12/01/05, 12:27 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Robert Kidd Law Offices of Robert P. Kidd

Re: outstanding warrants

You could try calling the criminal clerks office in the court where you received the community service and asking them to look up the case. You could also call the probation separtment there. As for the concern about being detained on the Mass. warrant in NY and shipped back to Mass., this is a possibity but probably unlikely if the charges are as minor as you describe them. You could still end up getting arrested in NY, and held in NY until the NY prosecutor is able to contact the Mass. authorities and determine whether Mass. wants you held on the warrant. This is quite common and some people unfortunately end up getting held for days or even weeks before getting released.

The only way you can clear up the warrant is by appearing personally in the Mass. court. You should go in with a lawyer in case there is any question of your liberty being threatened. A lawyer may be able to disoose of the case when you go in with some sort of fine so you don't have to return.

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Answered on 12/01/05, 9:17 am


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