Criminal Defense Lawyers

New York City is home to over eight million people. Within this city, there are many laws that govern people’s conduct. It is imperative to be aware of such laws and what impact they can and might have on your life. If you get into potential legal trouble, you might be issued what is known as a desk appearance ticket or D.A.T. If you get this ticket it means that you are being asked to come back to court on your own on the date indicated by the ticket. These are tickets that indicate that the courts do not consider you a flight risk. In general, the courts expect that you will come back to the jurisdiction on the date on the ticket. Most people who are facing this kind of issue are those who have never been in trouble with the law in any way in the past. City officials indicate they are placing a great deal of trust in your willingness to come forward and adhere to the procedures of the court system. However, if you do not agree to follow this procedure and show up on time you may be subject to what is known as a failure to appear.

The Results

If you do not agree to come back to the court on the date indicated after being issued the desk appearance ticket, you can expect action from the court system. The judge presiding over the case will issue a bench warrant. If you are later found, this can be used to an immediate arrest. This can impact many people from all walks of life. For example, if you are a foreigner who is flying into a local airport, you might be arrested immediately once you set foot in the United States. The same is true of if you are visiting New York City from another state. The bench warrant grants huge powers to the arresting officer. If you interact with the law in any capacity, the officer can look up the details of your case and choose to bring you into custody. If they do so, it can take a lot of time and effort to leave the local jail system. You might be stuck behind bars for a prolonged period until you are released by the court system. Anything can trigger this arrest. If you don’t signal a turn while driving, jaywalk or accidentally enter a park late at night when it is supposed to be closed. All these actions give the local police force their right to arrest you.

Your Rights

The failure to appear can also impact other areas of your life. For example, if you want to get a professional license of some sort or you’re facing an immigration issues, this record will show up. It can impede your ability to get that license as it now part of your permanent record. The court system may not care about the factors that limited your ability to appear such as having to work on the given date. A part of the criminal code in New York City can also lead to new charges. You have thirty days to show up. If you don’t rectify this situation in this given time, you can be charged not only with having committed the original crime. You can also be charged with a new crime because you did not show up when the court said so. This can make it hard to get things you want done in your life. You may be facing issues such as denial of your state license because of the warrant. You might also find it much harder to avoid being deported because the state takes into account the fact that you did not obey the law in this instance and did not appear on the date asked or in the immediate aftermath.

Getting Help

Under these circumstances, it is imperative to get help as soon as possible. Doing so can mean the difference between an arrest that can ruin your professional life and the life you want. An arrest can disrupt your ability to engage in your daily activities. If you have spent years training to earn a license from the state, the last thing you want to do is put that training aside because of a minor issue. An expert can help you move past this issue and make sure you are facing up to it. They can explain things on your behalf as well as help you get out of jail. They can also help you in other ways such as applying for a license and getting the bench warrant removed from your case. This is why it is imperative to turn to them for help with any failure to appear issue.

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