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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
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
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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 15 Dec. 2024.
Legal Definition
bench warrant
see warrant
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