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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
Sweeney and his wife were arrested following the auction on an outstanding bench warrant for contempt of court in the civil trial after refusing the judge’s orders to undo the levy work and pay the fine, Sweeney said in a phone interview.
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Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
When Caudill didn’t show up, the judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest, court records show.
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Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2025
Gao had been released from custody in both matters, but failed to show up in court, resulting in bench warrants being issued for her arrest.
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Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 27 Nov. 2024
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.
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Geoffrey Robertson, Foreign Affairs, 19 Apr. 2017
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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 20 Feb. 2025.
Legal Definition
bench warrant
see warrant
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