The court summons you on particular dates if you’ve been accused of criminal charges like- violating the traffic rules, or other minor criminal charges. No matter whatever the gravity of the case might be, if you’ve been asked to appear before the court, you have to do so. It’s a legal summon that requires you to appear in a specific court and at a particular time and date. In case if you failure to appear in court, the judge will issue a warrant which is different from an arrest warrant. This is known as a bench warrant. Missing a court date in Florida is a serious matter irrespective of the nature of the crime for which you’ve been accused. Missing out court dates can result in an increased fine amount, jail time, and it will also hamper your identity. If the matter is a minor offense, then the police may not actively arrest you as soon as the warrant is out. However, in case the offense is a grave one and you don’t appear in the court for any reasons whatsoever, the police will immediately pursue the warrant. This includes- sexual offenses, drug crimes, etc. Also, the consequences will be more serious than what it was before. Before things go out of hand, you should get in touch with a lawyer to help navigate the FTA charges.
What will happen if you fail to appear before the court?
If you miss out on the court date, it will be regarded as a crime. The judge will issue criminal charges against you and will also issue a warrant to arrest you. As soon as the warrant is issued, the police will pursue the system and will go in search of you. You might not even know that there’s a warrant against you unless you face the heat of the police force. They might visit your home, office, or they might arrest you in routine traffic stops.
As far as Florida is concerned, it allows people to search their warrants in a database. No charges are needed. You can search it for free. Having outstanding warrants can affect your life in several ways, which also includes your professional life. You’ll be debarred from enjoying government benefits, Medicaid, employment, and other things. So before things get worse, you should retain a criminal defense attorney for the matter.
There are several consequences that you might face if you failure to appear in court.
- Bench warrant
- Increased penalties like fines and jail sentences
- Suspension of driver’s license
- Bond revocation i.e. the judge can change the conditions of release. It means that you need to pay a bond with the court in order to get released from custody.
Under these kinds of situations, if you work with a criminal defense lawyer, they can help you from these consequences. These lawyers are aware of the laws in Florida and they can guide you accordingly. Moreover, the lawyer, on your behalf can represent your points for not appearing in the court.
