What if I Missed My Court Date in Austin?
If you missed your court date, there is a very good chance that a warrant was issued for your arrest due to the failure to appear. When you do not show and answer, the judge will have the bailiff call your name before the end of the day's docket. When the bailiff reports no answer, the court will ask the prosecutor, “if they have a motion?” The prosecutor responds by asking for a forfeiture of your bond and a capias or warrant for your arrest.
So, if you missed your court date in Austin, you need to do a few things. First, call the court's coordinator or administrator and explain that you missed your court date and would like to come in ASAP to make sure the judge has not issued a warrant for your arrest. If the warrant was already issued, ask if the court could recall the warrant and just issue a summons to appear at a new date.
Be gracious and focus on being nice so they will help you, as opposed to having an attitude and blaming others. Life happens, and people forget and make mistakes, but don't think you can just decide when you want to go to court or not. You should also call your lawyer and explain that you missed court.
Some people never follow up with the case, thinking it will just go away. However, the case will not go away. Depending on the seriousness of your charge, you might be pulled out of your house early one morning or eventually pulled over for a traffic offense only to be arrested on the warrant.
It is always going to be better to take care of it sooner rather than later. While prosecutors can file additional criminal charges of bail jumping and seek forfeiture of your bond, it is best to act quickly to reduce those risks.
Where Do I Find the Court Coordinator's Phone Number?
You will need to search for the court by looking up the contact information for the court where your case is assigned. Go to the Travis County, Texas courts website - if your charge is a felony, click the links for the Criminal District Courts, but if your charge is a misdemeanor, look at the Criminal County Court links for your particular County Court at Law. After clicking the link on the court, you will see the court staff and their contact information.
What to Do if You Missed Court Date in Travis County
If you missed your court date in Travis County, there are a few things you can do to handle the situation. These steps will help you avoid any further legal complications and may even result in the warrant for your arrest being recalled.
1. Contact the Court Coordinator or Administrator
As mentioned earlier, the first step you should take is to call the court coordinator or administrator and explain your situation. Let them know that you missed your court date and would like to come in as soon as possible to check if a warrant for your arrest has been issued.
2. Ask for a New Court Date
If a warrant has not yet been issued, ask if the court can recall it and instead issue a summons for you to appear at a new court date. This way, you can still address your case without the added worry of being arrested.
3. Inform Your Criminal Defense Attorney
It is important to also inform your criminal defense attorney about the missed court date. They will be able to advise you on the best course of action and potentially work towards getting a new court date scheduled.
Don't Wait, Act Quickly
While it may be tempting to ignore the situation and hope it goes away, missing a court date is a serious matter. Not only can it result in a warrant for your arrest, but it can also lead to additional criminal charges and forfeiture of your bond. It is always best to act quickly and handle the situation as soon as possible.
If you have missed your court date in Austin or Travis County, don't wait any longer. Contact the court and your attorney immediately to resolve the issue and avoid further legal complications.