Help, I Missed My Court Date In Memphis, TN
Did you miss your court date in Memphis, Tennessee? If yes, you definitely have a situation on your hands that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Running away or trying to avoid law enforcement is only going to make it worse.
If you have a pending criminal case and you have a bond posted with a bail bondsman or have been released on your own recognizance, (ROR-Release On Recognizance), you have promised the court that you will abide by the court’s directives and conditions. One of these conditions is to appear for all of your court proceedings at the date and time the court has given to you. Missing your court date means you have violated a court condition and the judge can issue a warrant for your arrest.
Speed and taking action are your greatest ally right now. The quicker you get your warrant resolved, the better you look in the eyes of the court.
What To Do First (Immediately)
Remember, speed is your ally here. First, contact your attorney immediately and tell them that you have missed your court date. An attorney can often make arrangements to get the warrant recalled without you having to go back to jail. Be prepared to go back to court with your attorney in order to get the warrant recalled and be issued a new court date.
Second, contact your bail bondsman immediately if you have missed court and are out on a bail bond. If you do not contact your bondman immediately, they may feel compelled to give your file to a fugitive recovery agent (a.k.a. bounty hunter) and they will find you and arrest you… Obviously this is not the way you want to be taken in before a judge.
Consequences of Missing Dates and Avoiding Warrants
- You will have to keep running… The court, the police, your bondsman, and attorney will all be wondering what happened to you and eventually someone is going to catch up with you. You may be prevented from getting a job when an employer runs a background check.
- You have made yourself look bad in the eyes of the court because you did not resolve your situation in a timely fashion.
- Both you and the people who co-signed your bail bond can be sued if the bonding agency has to pay your bail bond off to the courts.
- The clock is ticking because your Tennessee bondsman has 6 months to find you, have you arrested and get you put back in jail before they have to pay the court the full amount of the bond that was set by the judge or magistrate when you were released.
It is better to be safe than sorry and highly recommended that you stay in close contact with your attorney and bail bondsman regarding your appointed court date and time. If you are wondering how to find your court date, just give them a call and they will be able to do a court date lookup and tell you.
You may be wondering, “Can I reschedule my court date over the phone?”. In certain instances, an attorney might be able to reschedule your court date without you being there. However, in most instances, you will have to be physically present before the judge on your court date or a warrant will be issued for your arrest.
DISCLAIMER
Please be advised that Bailbondmemphis.com and United Bonding Company is not an attorney nor law firm and does not provide legal advice. If you are seeking legal advice, you are strongly encouraged to consider consulting with a competent attorney in your jurisdiction who can provide you with legal advice on your particular matter given that individual state, county or city laws may vary.
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