Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT) in New York

What is a Desk Appearance Ticket?

A desk appearance ticket or DAT is something an officer can give you if you're arrested. It is an order to go to court for the arraignment. They are reserved for minor offenses or when the accused doesn't have any prior convictions. A desk appearance ticket still means that you've been arrested and have to appear in court to answer to the charges. You'd have the best chances of defending yourself with an experienced New York desk appearance ticket lawyer on your side to represent you for the duration of the case.

Why Do Only Certain People Who Are Arrested Receive a DAT?

Offenses such as trespassing, disorderly conduct, or loitering typically result in a DAT instead of going to jail. They're also common with misdemeanors such as writing a bad check, criminal trespassing, or sex crimes such as prostitution. If the defendant isn't given a desk appearance ticket, they'll be taken to the police station for booking until arraignment occurs. If you do receive a DAT, you'll be allowed to go home after all the paperwork is completed with a requirement to return for arraignment at a specified date and time.

What Happens at an Arraignment?

An arraignment is an initial appearance in front of a judge to answer to the charges on the ticket. Don't confuse it with a criminal trial. The prosecutor informs the court of what charges you're facing, and you can enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. The judge examines the circumstances and decides on a bail amount. The judge can order you held without bail, set a bail amount, or release you on your own recognizance (ROR). If you decide not to go to court, the judge will issue a warrant for your arrest. It's helpful to have an experienced New York desk appearance ticket lawyer by your side even though the arraignment is short to help get the best outcome, such as no or low bail.

What Happens When the Arraignment Is Over?

If you decide to plead not guilty to the charges, there will be hearings and motions to determine the sentence. The prosecutor may also offer a plea agreement, which is an agreement to plead to a lesser charge for a reduced sentence as an alternative to going to trial to save time and money. If you don't reach a plea agreement, the next step in the process is a criminal trial. If you plead guilty, you'll proceed to sentence. Consult with an experienced New York attorney to help make the process go smoothly and give you the best outcome given the circumstances.

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Even though a desk appearance ticket is reserved for minor offenses, there's still a chance that something could go wrong and you'd face harsher punishment than if you had an experienced attorney on your side to help you through the process from the beginning until it's resolved. The staff at Spodek Law Group has years of experience working with cases involving misdemeanors and other offenses that result in desk appearance tickets instead of being taken to booking. Contact us now for a consultation at 1-888-829-1365. We have multiple offices to make it easy for you to stop in whenever it is convenient for you. We have the experienced attorneys that you need to make the process of getting your case resolved as simple and fast as possible with the best outcome.