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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These critics point to the fact that last March, for example, Moro issued a bench warrant for Lula’s compulsory interrogation, a form of coercion that judges should use only if a suspect has refused to comply with a subpoena to testify. Geoffrey Robertson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2017 The search turned up an outstanding 2018 bench warrant for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance. David Matthews, New York Daily News, 13 Nov. 2024 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 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

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 15 Dec. 2024.

Legal Definition

bench warrant

see warrant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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