what happens if i dont go to traffic court

If you have been cited for a traffic violation that requires you to appear in court, it is very important that you hire me and attend your courtroom date.

However, what happens if you neglect to appear in court for your traffic ticket?

The consequences of missing your courtroom date vary depending on a number of factors, depending on the severity of the charge, whether the absence was intentional, and other aggravating or mitigating factors.

Equally a practicing traffic attorney, I take helped many clients with their traffic police force issues and can assistance you navigate the legal procedure of traffic court in Virginia.

Begin your defense

If you have to announced in court for a traffic ticket, contact Virginia defence force attorney Andrew Flusche today to discuss your options.

Go Started

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Failure to Appear in Court for a Traffic Ticket Article Contents

Jump-to the data you need:

• • Find Out What Happened

• • Trial in Absence

• • Felony or Serious Misdemeanor Traffic Cases

• • Options for Rehearing the Instance

• • Call a Traffic Attorney Today

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Notice Out What Happened

If y'all miss your courtroom date for a traffic ticket considering of traffic problems, you slept in, a personal emergency, or whatever other cause, yous can find out what happened with your case by going to the Clerk's Office where your case is being heard.

To view your case condition online, you lot can look at VACourts.gov on the Case Information page.

Almost probable, y'all volition see that the case was either tried in your absence or that a bench warrant is out for your arrest, depending on the severity of the traffic charges you face.

Knowing where you stand with the courtroom is imperative when deciding what the best course of activity is moving forward with your case.

Trial in Absence

For most minor traffic violations, if you lot miss your court date the judge volition have a trial in your absence, nearly always resulting in a guilty verdict.

This is usually the process for small-scale traffic violations, such as speeding. During a trial in absence, the guess will ask the police force officer what happened during the traffic stop and the reasons for giving the traffic citation.

If the judge finds at that place is enough evidence for the ticket, the estimate will find yous guilty in your absenteeism.

The courtroom clerk will and then mail service the fine and court costs bill to the address listed in the summons to court.

It is of import to note that a trial in absence does not happen if y'all pre-pay your ticket in lieu of coming to courtroom, which is an option for small-scale infractions.

Pre-paying the tickets is an admission of guilt, and therefore the trial in absence is non necessary, nor is any court appearance whatsoever. You should not pre-pay your ticket if you wish to fight the charge in front of a judge.

Earlier committing to any course of action after existence cited for a traffic violation, call me to talk over your legal options.

Felony or Serious Misdemeanor Traffic Cases

For more than serious traffic violations, such every bit felony charges or serious misdemeanors, missing your courtroom date can have far more severe consequences.

If the accuse you face comes with potential jail time, the court may order an arrest warrant, also known equally a capias.

The arrest warrant is the first step in a new charge you could face up: Failure to Appear. This comes with additional punishments on tiptop of your traffic violation.

If yous miss your court date for a more serious traffic charge, you must plow yourself into local law enforcement.

However, it is vitally important that you contact me, an experienced traffic attorney, to help you.

In addition, I might exist able to file a Motion to Withdraw the Bench Warrant or Failure to Appear Warrant if in that location was good cause for missing the original court hearing.

If that is non an pick, I will exist able to correspond y'all at a bond hearing after turning yourself in for the arrest warrant, explaining to the courtroom the reasons why y'all failed to bear witness for your appearance.

A lawyer can also advise the all-time place and time to turn yourself into the authorities. Finally, an experienced traffic lawyer can advise yous to your rights and explain the side by side steps in the legal process to resolve your case.

Options for Rehearing the Case

If you missed your traffic court date and the judge found you guilty in your absenteeism, information technology is non the end of the instance. You take options to rehear your traffic case in Virginia.

The first option is to appeal the case. Nether Virginia police force, y'all have x days from your original courtroom date to appeal the hearing to the circuit court.

During an appeal, the instance is reheard by a new judge in the excursion court, and you are given a new court appointment to nourish. Yous do non need to list an excuse as to why you lot are appealing the case.

The second selection to rehear your case is to file a Motion to Rehear within sixty days of the conviction in absence. This motion is presented to the traffic courtroom judge, who has the discretion to approve or deny the motion.

You must give a valid reason in the motion every bit to why the judge should grant a rehearing of the case.

It is important to note that filing a Motion to Rehear does not toll the deadline on the right to appeal to the excursion court. Your right to appeal can be lost while waiting for the traffic judge to make up one's mind whether to grant your motion. I will be able to advise yous on which is the amend option for your case.

Phone call a Traffic Chaser Today

If you are facing traffic violations or missed your traffic court appointment in the Fredericksburg area, my police force office may be able to help. Call at present or contact me through my website, to schedule an appointment to discuss your traffic example today and figure out what the best options are for y'all moving forward.

Andrew Flusche

My name is Andrew Flusche. I am a traffic and misdemeanor defense lawyer in Virginia. I limit my practice to traffic tickets and misdemeanor defence force, so I know the ins and outs of these offenses. I literally wrote the volume on reckless driving in Virginia which yous can get on Amazon here or download for gratis hither. I opened my practice in 2008 after earning my Juris Md degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Since and so, I have earned over 600 5-star reviews from happy clients on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. If you've been charged with a misdemeanor criminal offence in Virginia, please don't hesitate to contact me. Your initial consultation is always gratuitous, and you lot'll talk direct with me about the details of your example.

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Source: https://www.andrewflusche.com/blog/what-happens-if-you-fail-to-appear-in-court-for-a-traffic-ticket/

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