What can I do about a failure to appear?
Question Details:
I was pulled over and given a ticket because I gave the officer expired insurance. I had good standing insurance at the time I was pulled over, but I just gave him the expired insurance card. I later proved I had insurance and was told I didn't have to worry about court or pay the ticket. I just got a letter for failure to appear even though I was told I didn't have court. What are my options? I don't have money for a lawyer.
DUI / DWI Law Answers
You need to contact a lawyer to assist you unless you feel confident in going to court on your own. If you go to court on your own, you need to first contact the court and ask them when your next court date is as you want to come in. Failure to appear is a separate charge and you likely have a warrant out for your arrest. You want to come into court with the updated insurance and show it to the state and explain the misunderstanding. If you hire a lawyer, the lawyer can explain the misunderstanding the the state may simply nolle the ticket based on the lawyer's representation. I think that you should have a lawyer involved and should avoid driving around until the court date as you could be arrested and brought to jail for the failure to appear charge. Contact a lawyer as he may tell you to turn yourself in and then get a date so he can deal with the charge- that would be my advice to my client.
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