No one likes getting a traffic ticket, but it is important that you deal with it as soon as possible. In many cases, a traffic ticket will require you to attend court to resolve it. If you choose not to appear in court, you could face some harsh penalties. If you do not believe you deserved the ticket, or if you think you received the ticket wrongly, you need to contact an attorney rather than skipping court. The following are some of the problems you could face if you fail to attend court for your traffic ticket.
You May Have a Warrant Out for Your Arrest
If you do not appear in court for your ticket, you could be subject to arrest. The judge can issue a warrant for your arrest, most commonly a bench warrant. This means that, although the police are not going to necessarily actively search for you, you will be arrested as soon as they know where you are. For example, if you are stopped again for a different traffic issue, the police officers can immediately arrest you, whether or not you were committing a traffic violation at the time. You risk spending time in jail until you are arraigned in court.
You Can Lose Your Driver's License
Another major problem you could face is the loss of your driving privileges if you do not attend your court hearing. The difficult part about this is, you may not necessarily be aware that your license is suspended until you are stopped again. If the officer discovers you have a suspended license, you not only can be arrested on a bench warrant, but you can face additional charges for driving with a suspended driver's license.
You Can Be Charged with Contempt of Court
If you do not go to your court date for your traffic ticket hearing, the judge can also charge you with contempt of court. Contempt of court is a misdemeanor in most states. You not only will have to pay costly fees for this charge, but you can also spend time in jail. Depending on the circumstances of the case, you may have to stay in jail until it is time for you to go before the judge.
If you want to avoid any of these issues, it is best to attend court on your assigned court date. If you want to fight your traffic ticket, be sure to discuss your case with your attorney to see what your options are and how to best go about getting out of the traffic fine.
For more information about how a traffic ticket lawyer can help you, contact a local practice.
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