Failure to Appear for Maryland Court Hearing
If you are charged with a crime or serious traffic offense in Maryland, it is critical to comply with all of your court dates. Missing a court date only increases your legal troubles and can worsen the criminal penalties. If you have missed a court date and are concerned you may have an outstanding bench warrant for your arrest, contact a Maryland criminal defense attorney to guide you through the complexities of the legal system. A criminal defense attorney can help you take a proactive approach to solving your problem.
If you have been charged with a criminal offense in Maryland and you have been released on bail, your failure to appear before the court could result in the forfeiture of your bond and additional criminal charges. If you do not work to resolve your failure to appear status, it is possible you will remain in police custody through the resolution of your case.
If you fail to pay a traffic fine or appear before the court on a traffic violation, you may be charged with failure to appear in Maryland, which can result in a suspended driver’s license. If you are pulled over for a minor traffic offense and you have an outstanding warrant for failure to appear, you can be immediately arrested and held in custody.
- If you face one or more of these charges it is crucial that you contact a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible in order to protect your rights.
For additional info about these laws you can read the Maryland Official Code.