Court dates should always be a defendant’s highest priority, aside from urgent family emergencies. If a person expects to miss a court date or has missed a court date in the past, he should contact his attorney as soon as possible.
When a person misses a court date, the court may issue a warrant for that person’s arrest or may charge that person with “Failure to Appear” in court, a separate, Class A Misdemeanor. The effect of a missed court date will vary in each case depending on the presiding judge, the facts of the case, the amount of advance notice provided to the court, and the practices of the local county.
If a good reason exists as to why a person will miss a court date, a judge may show leniency. In this type of situation, an experienced Tennessee Criminal Defense lawyer will work to avoid an arrest or incarceration for his or her client. If you missed your court date and do not have a Tennessee Criminal Defense lawyer working for you, contact one immediately.
If you have questions about your Tennessee DUI or other criminal charge, our lawyers are available to assist you. Sara, Steve, or Nate will be happy to speak with you at (865) 249-7200. You may also review our websites at www.tndui.com, www.duiknoxville.com and www.tncriminaldefense.com.
