Legal Question in Criminal Law in Missouri

Municipal Warrants & Customs

My question deals with municipal warrants and traveling internationally.

I have two warrants issued due to failing to take care of a couple traffic tickets. These were simple violations: a stop sign violation, and an expired tags violation. I was traveling on business at the time, and simply neglected to follow up on it.

I will be traveling internationally in a week, and am having a hard time getting an answer on this: when my passport is ran on my return to the United States, will I be subject to arrest? Are municipal bench warrants entered into the system which clears passports at immigration? I will be entering the country ~300 miles and in a different state from the municipalities where the warrants were issued, so I doubt being extradited for such simple citations is an issue.

I am in the process of resolving both the issues and paying the applicable fines, but the warrants in the meantime worry me.

So, the recap: will municipal warrants cause any problems re-entering the country at customs (or otherwise create travel problems internationally)? This is Missouri, municipalities of Maplewood and St. Louis City.


Asked on 10/14/08, 5:57 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael R. Nack Michael R. Nack, Attorney at Law

Re: Municipal Warrants & Customs

I can not answer your question directly, but I can tell you that we can get those warrants cancelled or recalled before you leave the country so that you won't have to worry about it upon your return. I go to both Maplewood and the City of St. Louis municiple courts all of the time. Please feel free to contact me at my office.

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Answered on 10/20/08, 11:53 pm


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