Once you have discovered you have a warrant, contact a criminal defense attorney immediately. The earlier you can retain the attorney, the earlier your matter will be resolved. Some people decide to stop reporting to their probation or community control officer once they discover that they have a warrant. This is the absolute worst thing a person can do, as most times, it just makes the situation worse, causing you to accumulate another violation and increasing the likelihood that you will have to serve jail or prison time.

Most judges do not set a bond when they sign warrants for violations of probation or community control. Unlike substantive offenses, defendants are not constitutionally entitled to a bond. If a person stops reporting once they discover they have a warrant, the likelihood of obtaining a bond goes down also. This again illustrates why you should retain an attorney to assist you as soon as you discover you have a warrant.

Once you hire an attorney to represent you, they can file a motion for bond on your behalf. Another advantage of having a private attorney in place to assist you is that the attorney knows about your case from the beginning and can immediately act to obtain a bond hearing. While most public defenders are diligent and dedicated attorneys, the harsh reality is that most of the time a public defender will not know about your case until a few days before your arraignment, which can sometimes take up to 30 days from the time you're arrested. In some instances, a private attorney can get you into court more quickly and get your matter fully resolved. Additionally, a private attorney usually has a lighter caseload than a public defender, and can, therefore, give your case more individualized attention.

Your attorney may advise you to turn yourself in on the warrant. There are several advantages to turning yourself in. First, it allows you to get your day to day affairs in order before you go to jail. Second, it increases the likelihood that the Court will give you a bond, because you have shown that you are not a flight risk and that you can follow the instructions of the Court. Third, it may increase the likelihood of your being reinstated to probation or community control. Finally, while it is unpleasant to be in jail, turning yourself in avoids your being embarrassed and humiliated by being arrested on your job or somewhere else unexpectedly. The circumstances of each individual case varies, therefore, you should consult your attorney to discuss whether you need to turn yourself in.