GOVERNMENT OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL
BENCH WARRANTS
A QUICK & EASY GUIDE
CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION
441 4TH Street NW
Suite 550N
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
PHONE: (202) 442-9900 FAX: (202) 724-3710
www.cssd.dc.gov
WHAT IS A BENCH WARRANT?
A bench warrant is a legal document
issued by a judge that authorizes a
person’s arrest. It is called a “bench”
warrant because it is issued by the
judge while sitting “on the bench” in
the courtroom. A bench warrant gen-
erally is assigned a bond
amount when it is is-
sued.
WHEN DOES A JUDGE ISSUE A
BENCH WARRANT?
A bench warrant is usually issued
when a person has failed to appear in
court on a specific date after receiv-
ing a notice or order to appear. Once
the warrant is issued, the person is
subject to arrest. In child support
cases, the person that the judge issues
the warrant against is usually the
non-custodial parent (NCP). The NCP
may be listed as the “Respondent” on
the warrant.
Continued
I’M AN NCP. HOW DO I KNOW IF I
RECEIVED AN ORDER OR NOTICE
TO COME TO COURT?
A CSSD investigator or an officer from
the Metropolitan Police Department
(MPD) personally served YOU with a
document entitled “Notice of Hearing
and Order Directing Appear-
ance” (NOHODA).
A CSSD investigator or MPD officer
personally serves an adult at your home
or work with the NOHODA, and that
person accepts the document and gives
it to you.
You previously appeared in court for a
child support hearing and signed a
document entitled “Notice To Return
To Court” and received a copy of the
notice.
You came to CSSD and accepted service
of a child support petition and a NO-
HODA.
Continued
AS AN NCP, WHAT SHOULD I DO
IF I FIND OUT THAT A BENCH
WARRANT HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR MY ARREST?
CSSD, the court, or
the custodial parent
in your case might happen to inform
you about the bench warrant. If that
happens, you should:
1. Go immediately to the D.C. Superior
Court.
2. Go to the court information window
and inform the clerk that you wish to
surrender to the court in response to the
bench warrant.
3. Generally, you will be instructed to re-
port to the courtroom of the judge who
issued the warrant.
4. In most cases, the judge will “quash”
the warrant and you will be allowed to
sign notice for a new court date.
5. In some cases, CSSD staff may proceed
with your case that day if they have the
necessary information.
Continued
BEING ARRESTED: EXECUTION
OF A BENCH WARRANT
NCP’s can be taken into custody by
MPD once a bench warrant is ac-
tive. This often happens during
traffic stops by the police.
Once an NCP is arrested, he/she
will be taken to the cell-
block at D.C. Superior
Court.
If the NCP or another
person is able to post the
bond, he/she will be re-
leased from custody.
In most child support cases, if the
bond cannot be paid, the NCP will
either be presented to a judge in the
child support contempt courtroom
or the cellblock courtroom.
Depending on the circumstances of
the case, the judge may release the
NCP and set a new court date. Or,
the judge may continue to keep the
NCP in custody or conduct a child
support hearing.
Continued
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
If you come to court when you are
ordered to appear, a bench warrant
will not be issued for your arrest.
If you find out that a bench warrant
has been issued against you, go to
D.C. Superior Court as soon as pos-
sible.
It is better to surrender yourself
once you know about the bench
warrant than to be arrested.
Child support bench warrants can-
not be executed outside of the Dis-
trict of Columbia.
QUESTIONS?
CONTACT CSSD AT
(202) 442-9900
