What does "quashing warrants" mean?

A warrant that is quashed is one that is overturned or set aside by a judge. According to The Meranda Law Firm, bench warrants are usually quashed with an acceptable excuse.

If a person fails to appear for a court date or fails to pay a court obligated child support payment, a bench warrant may be issued. The defendant's lawyer can ask the judge to quash the warrant if the defendant has a plausible excuse for not complying with a court order, such as unavoidable circumstances that are beyond the defendant's control.

If the defendant does not have a valid excuse for quashing a warrant, the defendant goes to jail. In order to get out of jail, the defendant usually has to pay a fine.