Bench Warrants and Failure to Appear

• On a misdemeanor case, a willful failure to appear while on own-recognizance release is a misdemeanor.
• On a felony case, it is a felony, punishable by up to $5,000 in fines and/or jail time.
• If you fail to appear within 14 days of the assigned date, the law presumes you intended to evade the court. That presumption can be rebutted.

1. Don’t wait for the warrant to be served at a traffic stop or at work.
2. Gather proof of why you missed court, such as medical records, a custody record, or a notice sent to the wrong address.
3. Call me. In many cases a lawyer can put the case back on calendar and ask the judge to recall the warrant.

Every case turns on its own facts. In a free, confidential consultation I’ll read your paperwork, explain the charge and the realistic options, and tell you what I would do next. I handle every case personally, for a flat fee.