What To Do if You Miss a Criminal Court Date in Columbus

Missing a criminal court date in Columbus can create serious problems, but it’s not the end of the world if you address it right away. Courts understand that mistakes and emergencies happen. A good criminal defense attorney can help explain your absence and try to mitigate the damage.

What Happens When You Miss Court?

If you fail to appear for a scheduled criminal court hearing, the judge will usually issue a bench warrant for your arrest. This applies whether your case is in the Franklin County Municipal Court, the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, or another local court. If you were released on bond before missing court, you risk losing that bond. The judge can issue a bond forfeiture order, meaning the money or collateral posted for your release will be kept by the court.

Failing to appear is treated as a separate offense. Depending on your underlying charge, missing court can lead to additional criminal penalties. For example:

• If you were originally charged with a misdemeanor, failing to appear is also a misdemeanor of the first degree.
• If you were charged with a felony, failing to appear can be charged as a felony of the fourth degree.

This means you could face jail time, fines, and a permanent record on top of the original charge, even if you’re not convicted of the original charges. Your bond agent (if you used one) can also revoke your bond and surrender you to law enforcement. Working through your attorney to resolve the situation could prevent losing the bond altogether.

What Is a Bench Warrant?

A bench warrant means that law enforcement can arrest you and send you to court. Once a warrant is active, police can arrest you during a traffic stop, at home, or at work. Furthermore, bench warrants don’t expire. They remain in effect until you or your lawyer take action. The longer you wait, the worse your situation becomes—especially if you’re stopped by police for something minor and end up in jail because of an old missed hearing.

You can check your case status and whether a warrant has been issued by searching online court records. You can also contact the clerk of the court in the county where your case was filed.

What To Do if You Missed a Court Date

If you realize you missed a criminal court date in Columbus, take these steps immediately:

• Contact a criminal defense attorney: Your lawyer can talk to the court on your behalf, explain the circumstances, and ask for a hearing to recall the warrant before you’re arrested. This is sometimes called a motion to recall or quash the warrant.
• Don’t ignore it or wait for police contact: Many people hope the issue will resolve itself or that they’ll get another notice, but that isn’t wise. A warrant remains active until it’s formally lifted by the court.
• Prepare an explanation for missing court: Courts are more likely to recall a warrant if you have a legitimate reason, like a medical emergency, car accident, or not receiving notice of the court date. If you simply forgot, your lawyer can still help minimize the damage. They’ll argue that you’ve taken responsibility and acted quickly.
• Attend the next court appearance: Once your lawyer schedules a hearing to address the missed court date, you must appear if you want to avoid harsher consequences. Showing up on your own initiative looks far better than being brought in after an arrest.

Get Help From Our Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyers

The Law Offices of Saia, Marrocco & Jensen Inc. represents clients throughout Columbus and central Ohio in criminal cases, including cases involving missed court appearances and bench warrants. Contact our law firm to learn how an attorney can help you resolve the warrant and move forward.