What should you do if you have a bench warrant in Lake Charles, LA?
If you have a bench warrant in Calcasieu Parish, the worst thing you can do is wait. If you missed court and a judge has issued a bench warrant for your arrest, you must take immediate, proactive legal action. A bench warrant does not expire. It does not go away on its own. A bench warrant can turn a routine traffic stop into an automatic arrest.
Your best option to resolve a bench warrant without going through the humiliation of an arrest and booking in jail is to retain a Lake Charles attorney immediately. How a bench warrant is resolved depends entirely on which court issued it, which judge is presiding, and whether you have an attorney who knows the differences between both in Calcasieu Parish.
What happens with people follow the wrong advice after missing court?
I have been a practicing criminal defense attorney in Calcasieu Parish for over 17 years. Early in my career, I watched something happen repeatedly at the 14th Judicial District Court that has never left me.
When a person missed court, they were told to call the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s office. A non-lawyer in the office would tell them when to go to court and have the file delivered to court at the 14th Judicial District Court. At that time, district court judges at the 14th JDC presided over misdemeanor matters, and the District Attorney’s office would tell people with bench warrants to show up on misdemeanor dates.
So people showed up to court. Moms with no criminal history. People with traffic tickets. People who had never been in serious trouble a day in their lives. They showed up believing they would be in and out, as they were advised by the non-lawyer administrative staff. Instead, they were held in contempt and arrested on the spot. Sometimes they would get two days. Sometimes they would get 10 days. I watched mothers stand before the judge crying because they had no idea who would be picking up their child from school that day, explaining they were told they would simply get a new court date and be allowed to leave.
These were not bad people. They were not trying to evade court. In fact, they were trying to resolve a simple mistake that had been made. The even followed the advice of someone they thought knew the local legal system in Lake Charles, who actually had no idea how that particular judge on the day they advised to show up to court would handle bench warrants.
This is why hiring a local Lake Charles attorney is crucial if you have a bench warrant. Do not appear and attempt to recall a bench warrant without a local attorney who knows the court and judges. Do not take legal advice from anyone who is not a lawyer. And do not wait.
Every Court and Every Judge Handles Bench Warrants Differently
Some judges will excuse an honest mistake. Some judges have zero tolerance for missing court. This is the most important part about bench warrants and missing court that you must understand – there is not one answer to each situation. In Calcasieu Parish there is no single court, and the 14th Judicial District Court, there is no single judge. This is why hiring a lawyer with local experience in Calcasieu Parish and the 14th JDC is so important.
14th Judicial District Court
The 14th JDC handles misdemeanor and felony charges for Calcasieu Parish. If your warrant originated here, the stakes are exceptionally high. The 14th JDC is the court that is most likely to detain a defendant for missing court. The court is divided into multiple judicial divisions, and walking into the wrong division unrepresented can result in immediate detention at the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center, especially if you missed a critical court date like a trial date.
Lake Charles City Court
Located on Mill Street, this court handles violations of city ordinances, traffic citations, and Ward 3 misdemeanor offenses. Lake Charles City Court operates differently than district court and has occasionally partnered with local agencies to offer targeted relief, such as the Lake Charles City Court Fresh Start Amnesty Program. These specialized programs allow citizens to resolve outstanding failure-to-appear warrants and clear their names without facing immediate arrest or prosecution.
Sulphur City Court
Sulphur City Court handles traffic violations and misdemeanor offenses occurring within Ward 4. Like Lake Charles, it operates under its own strict local rules and calendar. If you miss a court date in Sulphur, a city court bench warrant is issued, and Ward 4 marshals or local officers are authorized to execute that arrest warrant anywhere they find you. It must be resolved directly through the Sulphur court system; trying to clear it at the district courthouse in Lake Charles will not protect you from arrest.
How I Resolve Your Warrant in Lake Charles
There is no one single strategy to resolving a bench warrant after a person misses court. The right approach depends on the court, the judge, the charge, the type of court date missed, and the reason why the defendant missed court.
In most cases, I can appear with you in court to resolve the bench warrant and get a new court date. This can be done without filing any formal motions and in relatively quick time. My reputation, experience, and relationship with the court makes this possible. However, when a bench warrant is issued there is no guarantee you won’t be detained. If that happens, then a formal motion and hearing may be required to address your detention.
The In-Person Resolution (Before Arrest)
In many cases, if you act before you are pulled over, I can physically go with you or handle things directly with the prosecutor and the specific judge to walk your file through, clear the warrant, and get a new court date set without a single pair of handcuffs being used.
The Post-Detainment Defense (After Arrest)
If law enforcement has already arrested and detained you for the bench warrant, the situation is an emergency. The problem is that if you wait to resolve your bench warrant and are detained, there is no set schedule to resolve your bench warrant. I know which judges require you to appear before them to resolve the warrant and which judges are more flexible. Understanding the difference can save you weeks of detention for a bench warrant.
Detention Without Bond (After Appearing in Court).
If you miss a serious court date like a trial, or you have a history of missing court, the presiding judge may hold you without bond pending the resolution of your case. In these circumstances, the attorney will have to try to resolve your case quickly or get a hearing quickly. This is one area where hiring a private attorney is crucial, as a private attorney can move more quickly to try to do both.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a bench warrant?
Missing court is typically how a person gets a bench warrant. You will be given notice of a court date either in your summons, mail, or in court, and then you will fail to show up at that new court date. To ensure you do ultimately appear, a judge will issue a bench warrant that will not expire, so that at some point you are detained and brought before the court.
Can I be arrested at any time if I have a bench warrant in Calcasieu Parish?
Yes. Once a bench warrant is issued, law enforcement can execute it at any time and in any location. There is no grace period. The warrant does not expire. A bench warrant is typically executed when a person is pulled over for a traffic stop or goes through customs.
Should I just show up to court to clear my bench warrant?
No — not without an attorney. You technically can try to show up to court to resolve your bench warrant, but this is a highly risky strategy and one of the most common mistakes people make. An attorney can assess the situation and appear with you in a way that protects you.
Can a bench warrant be resolved without me going to jail?
Yes, in many cases. You will still have to appear in front of the court or judge who issued the bench warrant and ask that it be recalled. You may be held in contempt of court, which could be a fine or jail time. You may just get a new date.
What factors determine if I go to jail for a bench warrant?
The chances of you going to jail depend on the court, the judge, your reason for missing court, your history of missing court, how long it has been since you missed court, and the type of court date you missed. This is why it is important to get legal advice from a local attorney who can discuss these factors. The earlier you call, the more options are available.
Does it matter which court issued my bench warrant?
Absolutely. Lake Charles City Court, Sulphur City Court, and the 14th Judicial District Court all handle bench warrants differently. And for those courts with more than one judge, the individual judge from that court will handle bench warrants differently. Only the court that issued a warrant can recall a warrant. If you have a bench warrant for Lake Charles City Court and try to resolve it at the 14th JDC, you may be arrested and brought to Lake Charles City Court to resolve the warrant.
What if my bench warrant is for something minor like a traffic ticket?
While the type of charge does matter, do not assume a minor underlying charge means the warrant will be treated lightly. I have seen people held for days on bench warrants that originated from traffic matters. The severity of the original charge does not always determine how the judge responds to the warrant. Take it seriously regardless and address it immediately and with proper legal counsel.
Facing a Bench Warrant in Southwest Louisiana?
Do not wait. Do not appear without counsel. Call Jacob Colonna at (337) 656-3212 for a free 30-minute consultation. I practice in the 14th Judicial District Court, Lake Charles City Court, and Sulphur City Court and I know how to move quickly when it matters.
Serving Lake Charles · Sulphur · Westlake · Jennings · DeRidder · Calcasieu Parish · Southwest Louisiana
Related reading: What Happens If You Get a Bench Warrant in Louisiana? — a detailed guide to Louisiana bench warrant law, failure to appear consequences, and local court procedures
Last Reviewed: June 2026 | Legal content reviewed by E. Jacob Colonna, Attorney at Law