Is my Failure to Appear resolved?

[blue66]

I Failed to Appear in court in a different state 9 years ago. It was for such a minor infraction. I would have just had to show my car insurance card. Because I had valid insurance, (just didn't have proof on me) I was not aware that not going was a misdemeanor, and in fact, for the last 9 years did not even know I had been issued a warrant or that I had committed a misdemeanor. I have never received any letters about the FTA to pay fines or appear in court. I have received government jobs (where I was fingerprinted) got student loans, and have renewed my drivers license.

I am going to go through an immigration criminal background check soon (to move overseas out of the US) and am trying to prepare, on the application, what to say about this misdemeanor.

I called the police in the state it happened in and was told that the arrest warrant issued was only valid for 4 years, and the criminal file was "purged from the active files." I was told that there's no risk of my arrest in the future. But what does this mean exactly? Is the misdemeanor resolved/case closed by it becoming invalid? ("invalid" was their exact wording) In addition, when I spoke to the records clerk, I was informed that no misdemeanor or warrant appears on my public file. The only thing mentioned is that I had no proof of insurance when I was pulled over (and was never issued a ticket for the expired tags that got me pulled over) 9 years ago. It must be mentioned somewhere, though, for them to have told me that I had a warrant at all in the first place, right?

I still am prepared to mention the incident on the visa application, so as not to lie, but I don't exactly know what to say my conviction, court date and sentence was. How should I answer those questions when I never went to court and was never sentenced or fined (as far as I know?)

Is the misdemeanor resolved, and how? If not, what do I do? Would it be advisable to take further action on it before I apply for the overseas visa? I have not been given any indication as to how tor resolve it by the police. They have not asked me to do anything about it.

 

[Sibee]

If the state that the bench warrant was issued in says you have nothing to worry about then there is relay nothing you can do about it, you cant pay a fine you don't have! if its not on your record I may wright down misdemeanor its no big deal. Its unlikely to affect your application.

 

[blue66]

Thanks for the reply.

Can I ask a few more questions?

1. If the officer I spoke to was able to tell me that I have a record of an inactive warrant, are the visa officials doing my background check going to see that record of it? I am unsure if, since I was told that my public record doesn't show the Failure to Appear (the records clerk, not the officer, told me this) just what they will uncover with their background check.

2. I am only given a few lines on my application to explain my criminal offense. It asks what the conviction, court date, arrest date and what the sentence was. Since I never went to court, never was arrested, and owe no fines or future court appearances, how can I explain my misdemeanor without it looking unresolved, or like I still need to go to court? Is it advisable to write out a detailed explanation of everything that happened (the stuff I've included in my post) and the information about the FTA that I recently learned from the police on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to the application?

3. Is it a good idea to obtain a copy of my criminal record from the County Clerk and include that with my application? Would a copy of an online criminal background check work just as well?

4. Should I mention on my application that the warrant was dropped? Is that the same things as it being "invalid and purged from the active files" (the officer's exact wording)?

5. I don't know the month the misdemeanor occurred. Should I find out first and include it on the application? Or is just writing the year enough information for them?

If anyone could answer any of these questions, I truly appreciate it.