DETAILS
I am from kansas and 6 years ago i got an mip at lake havasu, arizona (spring break yayyyyyyy…not). I was young and decided not to show up for court (plane flight + rental car+ fine+ missing work+jail didnt really add up for me. Fast forward 6 years and I am getting married and we are planning our honeymoon to jamaica. Will I be able to go there and get back into the country?
ANSWER
I would not risk it – especially on your honeymoon. Would you?
The answer really boils down to Arizona’s extradition agreement with Kansas. Some state’s extradite on every offense (Extradition is the legal term for the taking into custody of a person and transporting them to the jurisdiction where they are wanted). If Arizona does not extradite for MIP, then you are probably in the clear. However, if AZ extradites for all offenses then you could get nailed. Typically, most states only extradite on felony offenses because extradition is costly. HOWEVER, that being said, I am not an attorney in AZ nor do I know for sure what will happen when you leave the country.
Therefore, the best course of action, without a doubt, is to resolve the MIP in Arizona. They best way to do it would be to hire an attorney in the jurisdiction where you were charged. In the alternative, if you want to handle it yourself, you will need to get yourself added onto the court docket (because you failed to appear the first time) and then appear in person. I’m not sure if you can handle a MIP in Arizona through an attorney alone, but, it may be worth the time and money to speak to an attorney to see if he/she can resolve it without you going there personally.