Seattle Municipal Court (SMC) is partnering with King County Municipal Courts to help individuals resolve their outstanding warrants through the Back on Track warrant amnesty program. The Back on Track program is a regional effort that ensures all individuals have the same opportunity to resolve their warrant, regardless of which court their cases are filed.
In 2020, Seattle Municipal Court judges made all warrants for low-level misdemeanor charges including criminal trespass, theft, property destruction, obstruction, false reporting, and several other charges eligible for personal recognizance release. This applies both retroactively and for future warrants. “Outstanding warrants make it harder to get a job, secure housing, and generally move forward in life,” stated Presiding Judge Willie Gregory. “Our court is committed to helping individuals resolve their case and hopefully, leave the court in a better position in life than they came in. We do not want people to sit in jail for a low-level misdemeanor warrant.”
Individuals with a Seattle Municipal Court warrant under $10,000 may be able to have their warrant resolved administratively or scheduled for a bench warrant add-on (BWADD) hearing to be addressed by a judge. Individuals are encouraged to contact their attorney for assistance as well as review the court’s website for more information. If an individual does not have an attorney, they may submit a Motion To Quash Warrant/Set BWADD Hearing form.
Resolving a warrant does not require in-person contact, and clients may participate in their hearing remotely via video or phone. Seattle Municipal Court offers a physically distanced computer lab in the courthouse for those who need assistance or do not have access to the technology required for remote appearance. For additional assistance, please call Seattle Municipal Court at (206) 684-5600. Find more information on Seattle Municipal Court’s modified operations during COVID-19 here.
Individuals with bench warrants should contact the court where the warrant was issued. To find contact information for a specific court, visit https://www.courts.wa.gov/court_dir/.