Bench Warrant, Appearing in court

[AlreadyOnTheNod]

So I have a court date up in new jersey at the end of this month, But I also have a bench warrant out for a missed court date while I was in the hospital. The missed court date is for possession of a syringe and an empty bag of dope.

I since have gone through a 30 day rehab and now have 6 months clean time, My question is I called the court clerk and she told me my best bet is to make an appearance explain to the judge why I missed the court date and have the paper work with me. Now mind you I apparently missed a rescheduled date that I def did not call to reschedule I am guessing it was my dad trying to be helpful but he is a drunk and most likely forgot he did it. I moved to North Carolina shortly after getting through rehab.

Now what are the chances that the judge is going to say Fuck you I'm not lifting the bench warrant and you either pay 750 dollars or your going to jail....Now if that does happen how much will it cost for me to go through a bondsman ? My step father will be with me to co-sign if it comes to that.

I figure I might as well try to take care of it that day as I have to be in court later that day for an unrelated civil matter in the town over.

I know there is a very good chance that either way I will not get my sentencing that day, I have pleaded not guilty to it. I know I am going to be found guilty I just wanted to get a public defender and hopefully not serve any time for it. I dont think I will serve time it is my first offense, I have no prior record and I think the rehab and clean time will also help my case.


But ya bottom line is there a good chance that I am screwed if I make that appearance or is there a good chance the judge will just lift the warrant and hear my case...Also since I live in North Carolina now will I be able to get probation down here ?

I know its a long read but I would appreciate the input

 

[The Chemist]

when i had a bench warrant i went to the courthouse to pay it off. cost my dad $100 on top of my $300 ticket.

if you have the paperwork to back you up, in theory you should be fine.

and yes, they will do either an inter-state compact or transfer your case file down to NC so you can get probation there.

 

[fatstep]

I got my probation transfered from county to county in NC and then transfered to SC for a few months, so it's very probable on getting the probations transfered, don't know about the rest.

 

[ChemicalSmiles]

My friend and I got arrested and set small bound when we appeared for a misdemeanor.. we got cuffed in fron of the whole court... but thankfull i had LOTSA dough from selling back then and had the cuffs of us off in under 5 minutes, they just want the loot

 

[Methlehem]

...But ya bottom line is there a good chance that I am screwed if I make that appearance or is there a good chance the judge will just lift the warrant and hear my case...Also since I live in North Carolina now will I be able to get probation down here ?

If you appear to explain your situation, I'd imagine the bench warrant (which is often issued as a means to force individuals to appear before the judge and explain why they failed to show up for court, make scheduled payments, complete treatment/parenting/traffic safety classes, or what have you) would be resolved.

Being that you were in treatment and presumably have appropriate documentation to support that fact, I'm sure the judge would be willing to extend you the courtesy of at least hearing your side of the story. I think it's far fetched to assume that the clerk of court would tell you to do something which would piss the judge off. Typically the clerk knows what to do in situations like this because these things happen all the time. They just want to know what's happening with you, how to contact you, and that you're still aware of your legal obligations.

Apologize for missing the court date, and explain that you're now a resident of NC. Ask if they have the option of an Interstate Compact Agreement available for any probation you might have, so that you can have your probation transferred to the town where you now live. If they don't have that option, inquire about how else to get your probation transferred to where you live.

Yoy may also want to ask if you're able to establish a payment plan based on your monthly income, and where you should send the payments if you have fines which are outstanding. The courts really like to know that you're interested in paying them, and would probably be more than happy to accept a payment plan because at least then they know you're budgeting and making an active effort to include them in your monthly expenses.

If you do end up needing a bondsman, depending on where you live or, rather, where you're detained, you're going to have to find out how bondsmen in that jurisdiction collect their payments for services rendered. Some charge a percentage of the bond amount, some charge a flat fee, some only handle cash bonds, some will handle cash or surety bonds. Some are able to accept collateral (vehicle titles, property deeds, etc.) as temporary payment. Everywhere is different. Just be sure you ask lots of questions about how the bond-out procedure works, how they calculate their fees, what their preferred methods of payment are, and what your responsibilities are as a person on bond.

Good luck.

 

[Banquo]

I'll just add that it is usually not in one's best interest to have an unresolved warrant following them around. They can often come back into a person's life at the most inconvenient moments, like during a background check or routine traffic stop.