New Canaan Failure to Appear Lawyer

If you are facing a failure to appear charge, speaking with a top criminal defense attorney can be valuable. A New Canaan failure to appear lawyer can advocate on your behalf during the entire process

What Circumstances Can Lead to a Failure to Appear Charge?

There are many reasons why you might fail to appear for a court date. To many, this charge brings to mind images of a person fleeing the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution. The circumstances surrounding a missed court date are often far more mundane than that. In fact, a large number of failure to appear cases stem from an honest mistake.

A New Canaan attorney can assist you in a dismissal of your failure to appear charge by explaining to the court how their absence occurred.

How Serious Is Failure to Appear in the First Degree?

First-degree failure to appear is a felony governed by Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) § 53a-172. According to the statute, it is a Class D felony to willfully fail to appear in court when legally called after you are charged with or on probation for a felony crime. Should you be charged with a failure to appear in association with a serious domestic violence offense, you can face the failure to appear as a Class D felony.

The term “willfully” is important when building a defense, as this language seems to exclude missing court dates accidentally. In reality, the prosecution is likely to seek a charge regardless of the reason. An attorney can work to convince a New Canaan prosecutor to dismiss a first-degree failure to appear charge or downgrade it to a misdemeanor.

What Constitutes Failure to Appear in the Second Degree?

Second-degree failure to appear is a Class A misdemeanor and is governed by C.G.S. § 53a-173. This charge is appropriate when a person misses a mandatory court date while on probation or facing charges of a misdemeanor.

Call a New Canaan Failure to Appear Attorney Immediately

Regardless of the reason, missing a court date can be a major issue that complicates already stressful instances. If you don’t even realize you missed court, a warrant can remain out for your arrest for years to come. In addition to the criminal charges you already face, a conviction for failure to appear can add additional penalties.

A New Canaan failure to appear lawyer can help you defend yourself against these charges. To get started on addressing your missed court date, schedule a consultation with Mark Sherman Law as soon as possible.

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