what if my lawyer doesn't show up to traffic court and i wasn't there

by Laurianne Tillman 7 min read

A: You can tell the judge that you hired an attorney to represent you but they failed to appear, then ask the judge for a continuance of the court date. A continuance means you will get a new court date set for approximately 30 days later, which will give you more time to hire a new lawyer.

Full Answer

What happens if a lawyer doesn’t show up to court?

If both you and the lawyer don’t show up, you could potentially end up the court issuing a “default judgment” — that may or may not be in your best interest. Usually, if a lawyer messes up that badly, the judge will try to avoid punishing the lawyer’s client.

Should you hire a lawyer to beat a traffic ticket?

Even though, this idea is considerably popular, it should not be relied upon as a successful way to beat your ticket. Another common misconception is that when a person hires a traffic ticket lawyer, it will scare the police officer into not showing up. This is untrue.

What do I do if I fail to appear in court?

This is a very difficult predicament in which you find yourself. First, if you were obligated to appear for court, you needed to appear without excuse. If you were unable to appear, you needed to seeka continuance of the hearing. It makes perfect sense that a warrant issued for your arrest as your failure...

What happens if the police don’t come to court?

As a traffic ticket lawyer might explain to you, most officers do show up to court. If they don’t, it is likely they have a good excuse, and your case will be rescheduled.

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What happens if an officer doesn't show up for court?

When the Officer Does Not Show Up For Court. If the officer does not show up for court, he or she will likely notify the judge with a valid reason for their absence. Typically, rather than dismissing the case, the judge will move the case to the officers next court date .

What are the duties of a ticketing officer?

The Duties of a Ticketing Officer. In most states, police officers are assigned a court day every month. This is a day in which they must show up to court for all their open cases. If they fail to show, they will likely call the court to notify them of the absence. For instance, they may be handling an emergency; thus, unable to attend court.

Can a traffic ticket officer show up to court?

Following this absence, on the next scheduled day, if the officer doesn’t show, the case may be dismissed. As a traffic ticket lawyer might explain to you, most officers do show up to court.

Jonathan Paul Ward

He needs to contact his attorney in writing (hard copy and electronic would be best) and advise him of the next court date. He also should ask for an appointment as soon as possible. He should not complain or make accusations. If that fails, he has other options, but that is the starting point.

Theodore W. Robinson

Normally, when a Defendant's attorney doesn't show up in Court, the Judge will adjourn the case for a period of time and advise the Defendant to notify his/her attorney of the new date. It does not count against your son in such an instance.

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