[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/what-happens-if-i-fail-to-appear-on-my-court-date-in-nj\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/what-happens-if-i-fail-to-appear-on-my-court-date-in-nj\/","headline":"What Happens if I Fail to Appear on My Court Date in NJ?","name":"What Happens if I Fail to Appear on My Court Date in NJ?","description":"After someone is arrested in New Jersey, the police will take them to the police station to be processed. At this point, the person is either released or detained pending a detention hearing. If you are \u201creleased on your own recognizance\u201d (also called \u201cROR\u201d) after charges are filed, you will be required to appear in […]","datePublished":"2018-04-18","dateModified":"2022-04-19","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/newjerseycriminallawfirm\/#Person","name":"William Proetta Criminal Law","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/author\/newjerseycriminallawfirm\/","identifier":12,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bf046e483cfd218aa23b814afd7f502ea8e6bd244632161b6e42395a76e91a8e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/bf046e483cfd218aa23b814afd7f502ea8e6bd244632161b6e42395a76e91a8e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"William Proetta Criminal Law","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/william-proetta-criminal-law-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/william-proetta-criminal-law-logo.png","width":250,"height":76}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/warrant-issued.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/warrant-issued.jpg","height":390,"width":571},"url":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/what-happens-if-i-fail-to-appear-on-my-court-date-in-nj\/","about":["Criminal Defense"],"wordCount":699,"articleBody":"After someone is arrested in New Jersey, the police will take them to the police station to be processed. At this point, the person is either released or detained pending a detention hearing. If you are \u201creleased on your own recognizance\u201d (also called \u201cROR\u201d) after charges are filed, you will be required to appear in either the Municipal or Superior Court for your next court hearing. This is also true if a judge releases you after a detention hearing. What is important to remember is that even if you are released, you are expected to appear in court on the date scheduled. The State is trusting that you will show up in court to face the charges against you. In fact, you are required by law to do so. If you fail to appear on your court date in New Jersey, a warrant will likely be issued for your arrest and you may face additional criminal charges with associated penalties.Contact the experienced Union County criminal defense lawyers at William Proetta Criminal Law for a free consultation about your failure to appear in court situation, and keep reading for more information. We can be reached anytime at\u00a0\u00a0908-838-0150.The procedures regarding failure to appear in court are contained in\u00a0New Jersey Court Rule 7:8-9: Trial.\u00a0\u00a0According to these rules, if a defendant fails to appear in court for a criminal matter, the judge may issue a bench warrant. A bench warrant is a type of arrest warrant that is somewhat less serious than a regular warrant, which means that police might not go directly to the person\u2019s front door looking for them. The bench warrant often means that the person\u2019s name goes into a database and then, if that person gets involved with law enforcement again, the warrant would pop up for those officers, such as potentially during a\u00a0traffic stop\u00a0or some other interaction. Even though a bench warrant may be slightly less serious\u00a0than other arrest warrants, the police can re-arrest you if they find an outstanding warrant for your arrest.If the original criminal offense was more serious, police will try harder to find a person and arrest them. In fact, when a person fails to appear in Superior Court to face felony charges, they may be taken into custody and detained until their case is resolved.Failure to appear in court can also lead to criminal charges for\u00a0Bail Jumping; Default in Required Appearance, in violation of\u00a0N.J.S.A. 2C:29-7.\u00a0You can be charged with this offense for violating any condition of your release, even if monetary bail was not ordered. The degree of a bail jumping charge varies based on the original charges against you. If you have been charged with a first degree, second degree, or third degree crime, bail jumping is considered a third degree crime and may result in up to 5 years in NJ State Prison.\u00a0In all other circumstances, the degree of a charge for\u00a02C:29-7 will mirror that of the original crime. In other words, missing court for a fourth degree crime may result in another fourth degree felony charge.In addition to issuing a bench warrant, the court can also suspend your driver\u2019s license if you miss your court date. If your license has been suspended,\u00a0and you are found driving in New Jersey, you may be charged with another offense for\u00a0driving with a suspended license.Failure to Appear in Court Lawyers in Elizabeth, NJObviously, failing to appear in court can cause an entirely new set of problems, on top of the original criminal charges you face.\u00a0If you or someone you love is facing a warrant for their arrest for failure to appear at a court date in Union County, New Jersey, it is imperative to resolve this matter as soon as possible. The seasoned criminal defense lawyers at\u00a0William Proetta Criminal Law\u00a0assist clients with outstanding warrants and criminal charges in Cranford, Elizabeth, Plainfield, Linden, Clark, Kenilworth, and throughout the Union County area. Call\u00a0908-838-0150 or\u00a0contact us\u00a0online to speak with an attorney who can assist you. Consultations are always provided free of charge."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What Happens if I Fail to Appear on My Court Date in NJ?","item":"https:\/\/www.newjerseycriminallawfirm.com\/blog\/what-happens-if-i-fail-to-appear-on-my-court-date-in-nj\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]