If you know you missed a court appearance or discover a court has issued a warrant against you, you don’t have to wait and wonder when you may be taken into custody. Consult an attorney immediately. Alternatives to going directly to jail may be available to you, such as:The court might allow you to appear at arraignment rather than be taken into custody on the arrest warrant.The court might be willing to schedule a hearing to address a bench warrant before an arrest occurs, orAn attorney may be able to arrange for you to turn yourself in at the booking area of the jail rather than be picked up by police.An attorney will know how to handle an arrest warrant, will know the law in your state or community regarding failure to appear, and can assist and advise you in how to proceed. An attorney also can appear with you at any hearings regarding failure to appear, help you explain why you failed to appear and fight to keep you out of jail.You ca find an attorney in your locality to assist you on attorneypages.com. If you cannot afford a private attorney contact the local public defender's office or the local legal aid clinic. You cannot resolve the problem with a telephone call.