Failure to Appear

If you have ever received a traffic citation, you most likely signed the ticket without even thinking about it. While it may seem unimportant initially, your signature actually serves as a promise to appear in court on the date shown on the document. As a result, if you do not uphold your agreement, you can be charged with a serious offense known as failure to appear in court.

When you receive a traffic ticket, you typically have two options: pay the required citation fee and admit guilt for the offense, or argue your case before a judge in traffic court. Regardless of which option you select, you must resolve your citation by the date scheduled on it. In other words, if you decide to pay the fine, the court must receive it by that date.

So what happens if you simply don’t pay? Depending on the state, you can be charged with a misdemeanor crime, and a bench warrant may be issued for your arrest—meaning you will go to jail if you are pulled over by a police officer. Your license may also be suspended for several months or longer, and in addition to the original citation fee, you will also have to pay numerous penalties and late fees.

If you have ever failed to pay a traffic citation, your license may already be suspended—and you may not even know it! While most states will suspend your license immediately if you fail to appear in court or do not pay your ticket on time, it usually takes several months for them to notify you of the suspension. As a result, by the time you find out your license is suspended, you may owe thousands of dollars in late fees, and a bench warrant may already have been issued for your arrest. 

If you are facing failure to appear charges, it is imperative that you speak with an attorney before your day in court. In addition to losing your license, you may be charged numerous fees and penalties, and in some cases, may even face jail time. Future job, educational, and housing opportunities may also be impacted, as bench warrants show up on your criminal record permanently, and can be seen by anyone who checks your background. Don’t let one mistake impact your future. Contact an attorney in your area to today to discuss your case.

States and Cities:
AK	Alaska, Anchorage	LA	Louisiana, New Orleans	OH	Ohio, Cincinnati
AL	Alabama, Montgomery	MA	Massachusetts, Boston	OK	Oklahoma, Tulsa
AR	Arkansas, Little Rock	MD	Maryland, Baltimore	OR	Oregon, Portland
AZ	Arizona, Phoenix	ME	Maine, Portland	PA	Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
CA	California, Los Angeles	MI	Michigan, Detroit	RI	Rhode Island, Providence
CO	Colorado, Denver	MN	Minnesota, Duluth	SC	South Carolina, Charleston
CT	Connecticut, Hartford	MO	Missouri, Branson	SD	South Dakota, Sioux Falls
DE	Delaware, Wilmington	MS	Mississippi, Jackson	TN	Tennessee, Nashville
FL	Florida, Orlando	MT	Montana, Bozeman	TX	Texas, Houston
GA	Georgia, Atlanta	NC	North Carolina, Charoltte	UT	Utah, Salt Lake City
HI	Hawaii, Honolulu	ND	North Dakota, Fargo	VT	Vermont, Burlington
IA	Iowa, Des Moines	NE	Nebraska, Omaha	VA	Virginia, Richmond
ID	Idaho, Boise	NH	New Hampshire, Portsmouth	WA	Washington, Seattle
IL	Illinois, Chicago	NJ	New Jersey, Newark	WI	Wisconsin, Milwaukee
IN	Indiana, Indianapolis	NM	New Mexico, Albuquerque	WV	West Virginia, Charleston
KS	Kansas, Kansas City	NV	Nevada, Las Vegas	WY	Wyoming, Cheyenne
KY	Kentucky, Lexington	NY	New York, New York	DC	Washington DC