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
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After Mitchell failed to appear for a preliminary hearing on May 1, his bond was forfeited and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025 He was picked up on the active bench warrant on July 24 and remains in custody in the Hennepin County jail. Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 12 Aug. 2025 That led Justice Archana Rao to order a bench warrant for her arrest. Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025 Bryan was also wanted in nearby Jefferson Parish and was being held on a $100,000 bench warrant for failure to appear, along with a separate $25,000 bond tied to recent felony charges. Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 27 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bench warrant

Word History

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bench warrant was in 1680

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Cite this Entry

“Bench warrant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bench%20warrant. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

bench warrant

see warrant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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