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bench warrant
noun
: a warrant issued by a presiding judge or by a court against a person guilty of contempt or indicted for a crime
Examples of bench warrant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In Lopez’s case, the contempt of court charges were added to his case across six different documents including bench warrants and setting slips.
—Shelly Bradbury, The Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2024
Such orders are similar to bench warrants, though they are rarely executed in civil cases where the subjects live out of state.
—Joe Mahr, Chicago Tribune, 4 Sep. 2024
Failure to appear by the deadline would lead to a bench warrant with no bond, Simpson said.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 29 May 2024
Lexington residents owe police $1.7 million in fines, and the city court has issued bench warrants authorizing the arrest of more than 650 people — roughly half of the city’s population — because of unpaid fines, Assistant Atty.
—Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1680, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near bench warrant
Cite this Entry
“Bench warrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bench%20warrant. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Legal Definition
bench warrant
see warrant
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