What to Do When Someone Dies Without a WillWhat to Do When Someone Dies Without a Will

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What to Do When Someone Dies Without a Will

Hello, my name is Kerry. Last year my mother died suddenly. When we went through her papers, we discovered she didn't have a will. My mother had been married to another man before she met my father and I had a couple of step brothers. Unfortunately, they turned up on our doorstep and started to demand that we hand over my mother's life savings to them and their family. I contacted a lawyer who specialises in probate law. She talked me through my case and explained how we would defend it in court. Thankfully, the matter was resolved to my satisfaction and I could start to grieve for my mother. I decided to start this blog to help others who have a contested will on their hands.

How Do You Know if There Is a Warrant for Your Arrest?

13 July 2022
 Categories: Law, Blog

The idea of an unknown warrant for your arrest, lurking and waiting for you, is never pleasant. Maybe you were involved in something that happened right before you moved, and you don't know if a warrant was issued, or maybe you know someone tried to commit a crime using your name. Either way, if you find out there is a warrant, you need to protect yourself immediately by getting very good legal help.

Have a Lawyer Check for You

You really can't check anonymously for a warrant in your name. You can only go to a police station, go to a court, or have a lawyer call those places for you. If you go to the police, and there is a warrant for your arrest, then you will be arrested.

You might face the same risk at court, so contacting these places yourself isn't a great idea. But having a lawyer check for you gives you time to prepare in case there is a warrant for your arrest. You also benefit from the lawyer's experience and can find out how to proceed from there.

Gather Proof of Identity Theft, if Applicable

It's a sad fact of life that some people impersonate others in hopes of committing crimes and having the blame placed on the innocent party. If you are checking for warrants as part of a follow-up to an incident of identity theft of your name and information, you'll want to gather all evidence you have of the theft and what you've had to deal with so far. You'll really need help from a lawyer on this one; in fact, when you look for a lawyer who can check for warrants, look for one who has dealt with these types of cases before. Those lawyers can tell you what you'll need to show police the warrant for you is not valid, and that someone else was impersonating you.

If the Warrant is Valid, Cooperate With the Law

If it turns out there is a warrant, and it actually is for you for something you were involved in, you need to cooperate with the law. Hiding from the warrant will only make things worse as now you'll be purposefully evading arrest. Your lawyer can let you know what should happen and what arrangements you should make for your kids and pets, if needed, and what you should or shouldn't tell your employer. Having a warrant for your arrest does not mean you'll be tossed in prison for years on end automatically, but you do face potential temporary incarceration while the court figures out what to do.

A good lawyer can help you check for warrants and try to make the process of dealing with the warrant as painless as possible. You want to minimize time at the police station or temporary holding cell and minimize inconvenience to your family. You do not stand a good chance of that if you attempt to deal with the situation alone. Always have good legal representation when dealing with a warrant.

For more information on criminal law, contact a professional near you.