
If you are facing criminal charges and miss a court date it can have significant legal consequences. If your charges are minor then failing to appear may not be a big deal. However, depending on the judge and the severity of your offense, you can face harsh penalties for missing a hearing. Reach out to a Mercer County criminal defense lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options.
What Happens if I Miss a Court Date in NJ?
When you are facing criminal charges it is crucial that you abide by all rules and procedures laid out for you. To disobey in any way or show disrespect will reflect poorly on your character and can be used against you in court. If you are facing minor charges like a traffic ticket you may simply be sent a failure to appear notice with a new court date. However, if the charge is serious you can face harsh consequences.
Whether or not you will face consequences depends on various factors including a history of failure to appear, your criminal record, the severity of your impending charges, the inconvenience caused to the opposing party or witnesses, etc.
You cannot simply decide to skip a court hearing for your criminal charges. If you miss a court date the judge can issue a bench warrant for your arrest and you could find yourself facing charges for failure to appear.
What is a Bench Warrant?
A bench warrant is an order from the court that grants legal authority to the police to arrest an individual for failing to appear for a court hearing or failing to comply with a court order. If your court date and time arrive and you are nowhere to be found, there is a chance that the judge will be kind and grant you additional time to show up. They may wait or prioritize other cases first to allow more time. However, this is not always the case and is a courtesy, not a right.
If you do not appear in court the judge can issue a bench warrant and law enforcement will be dispatched to find and arrest you before bringing you to court.
What Are the Penalties for Failure to Appear?
By failing to appear in court you are making yourself vulnerable to additional charges. Besides the bench warrant, you can lose your driving privileges, forfeit any bail or bond posted, or face additional criminal charges. For example, if your original offense was a third-degree indictable crime, you can face an additional third-degree crime for failure to appear.
If you are given additional charges you can face exacerbated fines and jail time. The actual consequences you incur will vary depending on the specific circumstances of your offense and case. Work with a skillful attorney to learn more about your options.