What Is a Civil Warrant?
According to National Lawyer Search, a civil warrant is one of two kinds of warrants usually used in a civil lawsuit regarding matters such as repossessing property or monetary relief. A civil warrant is different from a criminal warrant, which is used to apprehend suspects or obtain evidence in a criminal case.
National Laywer Search explains that there are three types of civil warrants: a dispossessory warrant, a capais warrant and a warrant in debt. A dispossessory warrant is also known as an eviction warrant and is used after a landlord has attempted to evict a tenant. By means of a dispossessory warrant, the landlord seeks permission to enter the property and remove the tenant’s property. A capais warrant is used if a defendant fails to pay their fine after a guilty verdict. Although a capais warrant is not a criminal warrant, being arrested with one can lead to jail time. A warrant in debt is used to establish a court date in a case that involves financial matters.
Related to civil warrants are civil bench warrants, which are issued for failure to comply with a court order in civil court cases, according to National Lawyer Search. As with other bench warrants, the civil bench warrant is a court order that authorizes the seizure of an individual to force them to appear in court.