Why it is Important for Criminal Defendants to Show Up to Their Court Dates

 Posted on March 15, 2017 in Criminal Defense

If you have been arrested and charged with a crime in Illinois, it is imperative that you appear in court for all of your scheduled court appearances. You maythink that it is unnecessary, or that the court has already made up its mind and you showing up will have no bearing on your fate. However,a failure to appear in court is a big deal for a criminal defendant in Illinois and itcan have serious and unpleasant consequences.

Best and Worst Case Scenarios

If you have been charged with a crime, you are already in a pretty tough situation. It makes no sense to do something that could make your situation worse. Not appearing for a scheduled court date will not bode well with the court. It is considered disrespectful and rude to miss your scheduled court appearance. The judge, the prosecutors, and your attorney have all made the time to show up to your hearing, and you should show up too. But what could happen if you fail to appear in court?

When it comes handling situations where a criminal defendant fails to appear in court, the judge has great discretion. In the best case scenario, the judge will presume there is a good reason why the defendant has not appeared in court. For instance, if there is unexpected and bad winter weather it is likely that the defendant could not make his or hercourt date because of the snow. The judge could simply reschedule the hearing—but this is unlikely. Many judges take offense to being stood up by criminal defendants. What is more likely to happen is that the judge will take some sort of action against you for failing to appear for your scheduled court appointment.

It is not uncommon for a judge to revoke a criminal defendant’s bond, meaning that if the criminal defendant is out of jail because he or shemade bond, the judge will take away the criminal defendant’s option to be out of jail on bond, and the criminal defendant will be forced to return to jail. This is usually accompanied by the judge issuing a warrant for the criminal defendant’s arrest.

When the offenses that the criminal defendant is facing are relatively minor, such as the case when the defendant does not show up to a traffic court appointment after receivinga traffic citation, the judge could simply find the defendant guilty as charged.

Work With Your Criminal Defense Lawyer

If you have been arrested and charged with a criminal offense in Illinois, it is important that you get into contact with an experienced Rolling Meadows criminal defense lawyer as soon as you can. You should work closely with your lawyer. Moreover, if you are concerned that you might not be able to make a court appearance, you should discuss your situation with your lawyer.

Source:

https://www.isba.org/sites/default/files/Media%20Law%20Handbook%20Chapter%2006%20-%20Criminal%20Procedure.pdf