Where Does Capias Come from?

Sometimes referred to as a bench warrant, capias comes from the Latin “to seize.” It is issued by a judge and allows the police to arrest you to ensure that you will comply with an order to show up to court. Furthermore, it may even allow law enforcement to show up at your home or place of business to make an arrest.

How serious is a capias?

When a judge issues a capias, which commonly happens when you've failed to show up for a court date, it's serious. ... That means even if you've made it to every other court appearance, if you miss one, the court can issue this type of warrant. Any officer who finds you is required to arrest you and take you to jail.

What does order for capias mean?

In the common law system of the United States, a capias warrant is essentially an order to arrest and detain an individual for the purpose of guaranteeing a court appearance. ... A defendant who fails to appear at a criminal court proceeding, for example, could expect a capias warrant to be issued for his or her arrest.