Missing a Criminal Court Date in Oklahoma
When you are facing criminal charges in the state of Oklahoma, there can be severe penalties for failing to arrive in court on your designated day. As a separate crime, failure to appear adds an additional crime to the charges that you may already be facing, resulting in fines up to $5,000 and/or as much as two years in prison. Beyond that, there are other consequences including:
Loss of Bail: If you paid cash bail to be released from prison while you awaited trial, that money will be forfeited to the court. If you paid a bond to a bail bondsman or agency, they are within their rights to track you down and force you to return to court.
Additional Charges: Whatever you were charged with that necessitated your original court date, you can now be charged with an additional felony crime. Oklahoma criminal code 22 OK Stat § 22-1110 outlines bail jumping as a felony, treated as a felony and demanding you be “fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisoned not more than one (1) year, or both.”
Warrant for Your Arrest: Once you fail to appear, a judge may issue a bench warrant for your immediate arrest. Law enforcement may show up at your job, your home, or simply arrest you off the street, returning you to jail where you will find it difficult to secure bail. These bench warrants do not expire.
Further Complications and Consequences: Some courts view bail jumping as a form of contempt, causing them to prosecute your case with less sympathy and greater conviction that you are guilty. They may even demand that you remain imprisoned until your next opportunity to stand trial.
What Can You Do if You’ve Already Missed Your Court Date?
If you believe that a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest, your first move should be to contact an attorney. They can check with the county clerk, sheriff’s office or local court on your behalf, shielding you from potentially exposing yourself to arrest, while also attempting to explain your absence. If a bail bondsman was contracted to secure your release, a defense attorney can call them to help resolve the matter.
The key is to act quickly, allowing your attorney enough time to possibly intercede before a bench warrant is issued. The Edge Law Firm prides itself on working quickly to resolve situations where a client has inadvertently failed to appear for their court date. That speed is matched by our thoroughness in preparing for your case, establishing a better understanding of the facts behind your case to ensure the best possible resolution for you.
Schedule a Free Legal Consultation
A lot of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty can come up if a court date is missed. Fortunately, a defense attorney can help alleviate these worries by helping you clear up the missed court date and help begin devising a defense that will lead to the outcome that you seek for your legal matter.
Please consider scheduling a free, no-obligation legal consultation to take back control of your life. After talking with The Edge Law Firm, you will soon realize that there are many options that you may have not considered before that will help you sleep better tonight. Please submit your contact information below or call (918) 582-6333 to remedy your missed court date today.
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