When someone does not appear for their scheduled court date, there can be consequences beyond a simple scolding. The court may issue a bench warrant for your arrest and you could be held without bond, meaning you will be in jail until you can appear before a judge. In addition to the underlying criminal charges, you could face an additional charge for failure to appear.
If you were charged with failure to appear, it is crucial to contact an Avalon Park failure to appear lawyer. Missing a court date is not to be taken lightly, as not only could you face additional penalties, it could impact the underlying criminal case and the court might revoke bail until the other matter is resolved. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys are here to help you understand your options and represent you in court.
Under Florida Statute § 843.15, the prosecutor can charge a person with failure to appear if they did not show up to the scheduled court date. This is a first-degree misdemeanor charge in addition to any other criminal charges the defendant faces. When the accused does not show up to a felony court date, failure to appear is charged as a third-degree felony under § 843.15(1)(a).
The judge will almost always issue a bench warrant when a criminal defendant does not appear for a scheduled hearing. Once the bench warrant is issued, the police will treat it as an arrest warrant, and they are authorized to arrest the defendant and bring them before the judge. This means that they could show up to the defendant’s work or home. In many situations, people do not realize they have an active bench warrant until they encounter law enforcement. This is understandable when missing the court date was an honest mistake.
Once the police locate the defendant, they will be placed in jail until they can post bond. The bond charges include the original bail and any additional charges for failure to appear. In the most serious cases, the judge may revoke bail and hold the accused during the remainder of the criminal proceedings. An attorney could request a bond hearing at the next court date.
When someone is facing charges for failure to appear, an Avalon Park lawyer should be their first call. The worst thing that a defendant can do is remain on failure to appear status, because the longer it goes unresolved, the more serious of consequences they will face.
People who are scheduled to make a court appearance for any reason must absolutely follow through with that order. While the court may be willing to excuse your failure to appear if you were mistaken or missed the date by accident, this is not always the case. When you are facing other criminal charges, failing to show up for a scheduled hearing can adversely impact your case.
By hiring a competent Avalon Park failure to appear lawyer, you could avoid any serious ramifications and avoid an additional criminal conviction. Our legal professionals will work with you to defend against these charges. If you need to reschedule a hearing for any reason and are out on bail, contact your lawyer to assist you so that you can avoid being charged further.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
