missed court date...

[DestinyKnight]

So, about a month ago I was visiting out of state and was pulled over for expired tags and no proof of insurance (apparently digital proof doesn't count). I faxed over my proof of insurance that night and then forgot about it until now. I find the ticket info in my vehicle this morning and realize that I haven't paid any fines yet and have missed the court date by a couple days according to the ticket. So I call the number for the court and am told that there's a warrant out class 3 misdemeanor, and I have to write a letter to the judge. Great.

Can anyone advise me on what to expect from this? should I start stretching my corn hole in preparation for FPMITA Penitentiary?

 

[Soundmanred]

Never heard of the letter to the judge thing.
Just be prepared for your wallet to be raped.
If you are pulled over and the warrant is served, you would be in jail (probably overnight) then you would face a judge the next day, told to pay the fines or sit them out.

 

[Newbian]

Just don't go back to that state for a bit.

 

[BoomerD]

 

[Lifted]

told that there's a warrant out class 3 misdemeanor, and I have to write a letter to the judge.

They just want to know where to send Bubba.

Sweet dreams little piggy.

 

[gorcorps]

My cousin did the same thing

Haven't heard from him in 3 years

 

[Hugo Drax]

Watch this video. It explains the process.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Px2kTQKZaSU

What's messed up is a guy with a suspended license gets his ass kicked right away in the holding cell.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

There's a fine for failure to appear. Now fix it and pay your fine.

 

[marvdmartian]

Just don't go back to that state for a bit.

Doesn't always work, if your home state has an agreement with the other state. You think you're all good, until you get pulled over (even for a fix-it ticket), and they ask you to step out of your car, to be fitted with some pretty silver bracelets.

Then, to add insult to injury, you get nailed for a tow and storage fee, if you're alone when you get pulled over.

 

[mizzou]

Guess what, nearly everyone has some type of warrant active, welcome to the club

Go get an attorney

 

[notty22]

Not everyone has a warrant, but many do, a common one is not paying credit bills.
Then you get served. Many don't show to the initial hearings. Which if you showed, all you have to do is explain that you can't pay now. There are no criminal sanctions for that. But by not showing , the court now put's your name in to a warrant cycle. Where you are low priority, but if you get pulled over for a traffic violation. They will then have the active warrant out for you to arrest you, tow and search your car etc.
Also, if you have a active warrant out for you, a common practice is to knock on your door at 12:00AM on a Sat night, and they have legal reason to incarcerate you to Monday morning. That's a tough lesson. for anybody.
Take care of these things. If you are broke, you can claim that in court and at least, leave legally with a future court date to discuss the same issues.

 

[boomhower]

Not everyone has a warrant, but many do, a common one is not paying credit bills.
Then you get served. Many don't show to the initial hearings. Which if you showed, all you have to do is explain that you can't pay now. There are no criminal sanctions for that. But by not showing , the court now put's your name in to a warrant cycle. Where you are low priority, but if you get pulled over for a traffic violation. They will then have the active warrant out for you to arrest you, tow and search your car etc.
Also, if you have a active warrant out for you, a common practice is to knock on your door at 12:00AM on a Sat night, and they have legal reason to incarcerate you to Monday morning. That's a tough lesson. for anybody.
Take care of these things. If you are broke, you can claim that in court and at least, leave legally with a future court date to discuss the same issues.

No such thing as debtors prison. You can't get a warrant for not paying your bills. Only way is writing bad checks or committing fraud. Just running up a credit card and not paying can't get you locked up.

OP: You need to go back to that state and have the warrant served and pay the bond. You'll get a new court date and make sure you get it taken care of before then.

 

[Vic Vega]

...

 

[Sinsear]

Doesn't always work, if your home state has an agreement with the other state. You think you're all good, until you get pulled over (even for a fix-it ticket), and they ask you to step out of your car, to be fitted with some pretty silver bracelets.

s:

This is true. I sent a guy from NY back to Kentucky on some bullshit warrant like this.

 

[mizzou]

Just want to chime in, It's a huge pain in the ass having an active warrant (Felony or Misd.) because that shit might pop up when you get a background check.

I knew someone that couldn't get a job for years and none of the employers told that person that they were denied from even getting a foot in the door because of a felony warrant during a background check.

Might also be a problem if you want to travel, especially on an airplane.

Won't always happen, but it's an issue.

 

[ichy]

Contact a lawyer.

 

[DestinyKnight]

God I fucking hate Arizona.

Finally heard back from the court, Judge refuses to quash the warrant and I have to appear before the court. All this over some out of state expired tag registration. I'm getting fucked over here. Guess it's time to lawyer up.

 

[fenrir]

You are being rewarded for failing to remember important details. How can you forget to renew your plates and then forget about fines/court date over the plates?

 

[Childs]

God I fucking hate Arizona.

Finally heard back from the court, Judge refuses to quash the warrant and I have to appear before the court. All this over some out of state expired tag registration. I'm getting fucked over here. Guess it's time to lawyer up.

I had a similar problem in AZ when I got pinched for a "California Stop". I ignored it for 5+ years, then had a problem in CA when I went to renew my license. I just paid the ticket + penalty online and the warrant was removed.

 

[alent1234]

Just want to chime in, It's a huge pain in the ass having an active warrant (Felony or Misd.) because that shit might pop up when you get a background check.

I knew someone that couldn't get a job for years and none of the employers told that person that they were denied from even getting a foot in the door because of a felony warrant during a background check.

Might also be a problem if you want to travel, especially on an airplane.

Won't always happen, but it's an issue.

humor me

someone applies for a job
you find there is a felony warrant for their arrest
you don't contact the police to tell them that this person was in your office a few days ago and this is where he lives?

 

[DestinyKnight]

You are being rewarded for failing to remember important details. How can you forget to renew your plates and then forget about fines/court date over the plates?

How often do you look at your license plate?

The court date is harder to excuse, but being that it was Monday following Easter and IRS fun time...I had other things on my mind.

 

[CraKaJaX]

MotionMan....Paging MotionMan...

 

[Raduque]

How often do you look at your license plate?

The court date is harder to excuse, but being that it was Monday following Easter and IRS fun time...I had other things on my mind.

Every damn day, actually.

In any case, my registration is not on my plate.

 

[gorcorps]

God I fucking hate Arizona.

Finally heard back from the court, Judge refuses to quash the warrant and I have to appear before the court. All this over some out of state expired tag registration. I'm getting fucked over here. Guess it's time to lawyer up.

I can't beileve you're blaming the state and court system for your own MULTIPLE fuck ups. I hope they fuck you sideways for this in the hopes you actually learn something. I'm not sure what it'll take for you to realize it's all your own fault, but it must take something massive because you still don't get it.

 

[OCGuy]

Not everyone has a warrant, but many do, a common one is not paying credit bills.

Uhhhhh....no.

The warrant will be in the jurisdiction you violated in. If it was out of state, they most likely are not going to arrest/process/extradite you to face the charges. It just isn't in the budget for traffic infractions.