Legal Question in DUI Law in Washington

my sister is planning on going on a cruise with me in a couple of weeks. a few days ago someone she works with told her if she has any warrants she could be arrested by immigration either boarding or disembarking the ship. she remembered that in 2002 she got a dui. she was arrested, got bail and was ordered to take a class- which she did- and pay a fine. she paid some of the fine (was making payments) then she moved, got behind on bills etc and stopped paying. so she asked someone she knows who works at the court house to look up her name to see if there was anything. sure enough there is some kind of warrant. Will she be arrested at port? Can she make payment arrangements again and get the warrant lifted? She is a waitress and has paid on this cruise for over a year and doesn't have the money to pay off all of the fine before the cruise. she didn't know she had a warrant and now doesn't know what to do. the warrant is in Washington st. and the cruise is out of California


Asked on 1/18/12, 2:50 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Stan Glisson Glisson & Morris

It certainly seems like a possibility, given how extensive electronic criminal justice databases are these days. I would not try to leave the country with a warrant.

However, it may be simple to clear it up in Washington. She should call a lawyer who practices in the court where the warrant is, ideally the lawyer who represented her originally. She may be able to clear the warrant very simply, and still go on the cruise.

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Answered on 1/23/12, 11:36 am


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