Getting arrested can be scary, but having that happen when you are on vacation or traveling to another state can be a whole other set of challenges. From different laws and jurisdictions to figuring out how to be bailed out when all your connections are far away here are some tips and explanations about what happens when you arrested far from home.
The state where the incident happens is the state that has jurisdiction
If you are from Wyoming but are visiting New York on vacation and get arrested while there, then the state of New York has the right to prosecute and whatever the laws are in New York will be the ones applied to your case regardless of where you actually from. This can at times be confusing since the laws can vary greatly from state to state but if a certain department has jurisdiction then those are the law that must be followed.
If it is a lesser charge, you may be able to hire a proxy
If the charges brought against you are misdemeanor charges, you may actually be able to hire an attorney within the jurisdiction to be your proxy in court hearings so that you may return to your actual home while out on bail but this is not something that is done for more serious crimes or any type of felony,
Personal Recognizance probably won’t happen
In out-of-state cases, the option of being released on personal recognizance is very low. This is because a defendant from out of town would instantly be considered a flight risk since they have every reason to skip town and not show up to their hearing. It does not mean however that it will never happen but for the most part, if released, it will usually be on bond.
Fleeing the state will only make things worse
If someone is released on bond and they decide to run back to their home state and skip their hearing, not only are they still on the hook for whatever charges they had while in the other state but now they will also most likely have further charges for fleeing and a warrant out for their arrest.
To sum up, there is no denying that getting in trouble when not in familiar surroundings definitely makes things scarier and more complicated but it does not mean that everything can’t be sorted out and dealt with in a very similar format to being arrested anywhere else.
