Missed court date for expired tags ticket

40% Normal
13 Comments

I need help getting this answered. I am a week and a half past my court date for an expired tags ticket. I've had alot of stress lately due to family problems and that's why I completely forgot about my court date. I know in the past if I've missed court due to the expired tags ticket (since they have me making monthly payments), they've given me another 6 days to come see the court clerk to make a payment before issuing a bench warrant, and I've done that in time the other times. But this time, I'm a week and a half late and I'm sure I have a warrant now. I'm asking you all on what I should do? If I come in on Monday morning to explain and make a payment, will they arrest me on the spot? How long would I be held there? I don't have enough money for bail, and neither does anyone else I know. I know I have to go to the courthouse on Monday, or else I'm only putting off something 100℅ inevitable. I know this is over an expired tags ticket, but I'm still a week and a half past my court date and have a warrant now. Will they arrest me on the spot as soon as I get there? I've never been arrested before. What do I do?

Voting Results
40% Normal
Based on 5 votes (2 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 13 )
  • lordofopinions
    5 years ago

    The longer you put it off the worse it will be. Get in there ASAP and explain. If you wait much longer they might get a warrant for you. If no one has come around looking for you you're probably safe. Just go get it over with.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    1
    1
      -
    • Anonymous Post Author
      5 years ago

      No one has come to my place, but with warrants over missing court for traffic offenses, you get arrested when pulled over, they won't come to your home. But, I thought I still may get arrested when coming in there. Sometimes I heard that if you go to turn yourself in over a warrant over missing court over a minor violation, they won't arrest you, they'll just set another court date. But, again, maybe not in my case, I don't know.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0
  • Anonymous Post Author
    5 years ago

    Good news, I don't have a warrant yet, they're giving me til Friday to pay

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
      -
    • lordofopinions
      5 years ago

      See? You worried for nothing. Did you go to them?

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0
  • jethro
    5 years ago

    Well where do you live that you get to make monthly payments on your tickets? Here is a idea, quit driving on expired tags. Get a bicycle, walk or take the frigging bus.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
      -
    • Anonymous Post Author
      5 years ago

      I can't afford a bike, there are almost no busses or public transportation where I live, and my job is about 8 miles away from where I live, too far to walk.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0
        -
      • jethro
        5 years ago

        I doubt all that you said. Almost means that there is public transportation but you are too good for that. You could get an old bike from the Salvation Army and fix it up. I see homeless people with bicycles. They are worse off than you. Besides 8 miles is not too far to walk. Just too far for you. When I was in school it was 5 miles to and from school and I walked it, every day for years. When the weather was bad I hitchhiked. Why not carpool with someone who has a car? Pay for their gas to pick you up. You are just lazy. I hope that you spend 30 days in jail for missing your court date again.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
        0
        0
  • leggs91200
    5 years ago

    The reason warrants are issued is because a judge wants to talk to you. If you go to court on your next date, of course the question might get asked why you missed the last one.
    A wild speculation is they may not arrest you since you will already be before a judge.

    The best thing to do though is prepare, however you can, just in case you do end up in jail. The bail will probably be however much you owe for the parking citation.
    Do not be surprised if arrest happens but then it may not.

    One other thing you can do though - assuming the bail would be the amount you owe for the citation -
    Have that money set aside (even if you have to rob Peter to pay Paul) and give it to someone who will take you to the court house. Go in and explain the situation. If they arrest you and the bail is what you owe, the person who took you to court can use the cash to get you out. If you have the option of paying INSTEAD of going to jail, just go out to the car and get the cash or have them bring it in.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
      -
    • Anonymous Post Author
      5 years ago

      What if I don't have enough money?

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0
        -
      • leggs91200
        5 years ago

        One thing - I am NOT an attorney, not even a "jail house lawyer".

        If you just do not have the cash, see if you can get SOME kind of payment together, maybe as proof that you are making an effort to pay it off. Not sure if they will be impressed or not but worth a try I suppose.

        There is another option -
        See if your city has free or very cheap legal counsel.
        Some do for "poor" folks.
        Here it is called "legal aid society", you pay like $10 to talk to an attorney about your case. They will not advise on every type of case but if they can talk to you, you will at least get some facts instead of the speculations written here.

        The attorney you talk to isn't going to talk on big cases nor accompany you before a judge BUT can give a better idea of your options.

        One other thing - looking up answers on websites might end up scaring you more than anything. Sometimes attorneys (and any business) use scare tactics to get you to buy their product/service.

        Anyways, worst case I say - just be prepared to sit in jail for a few days if you turn yourself in and they are still not forgiving. At least you will be going there on your own terms instead of getting pulled over and having your car impounded ($250 to get it out) and dealing with other bullshit.

        Comment Hidden ( show )
        0
        0
  • Ellenna
    5 years ago

    Ring up the court and ask them if you'll be ok if you come in and pay.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
  • xxLucifer
    5 years ago

    It really depends. The cops have a right to arrest you as soon as the warrant is issued. Whether or not they do that if you are at the court house making the payment really depends. Best thing to do is just go make the payment though as if they do arrest you then the cops may go easy on you since you were trying to pay.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    0
    0
      -
    • Anonymous Post Author
      5 years ago

      I just thought of this too: some court houses if you go there to turn yourself in due to a warrant will not arrest you and just set up another court date, and they won't be as harsh on you as they would if you never went to the courthouse and wait until you're pulled over. I had a buddy who found out about that situation over missing court over a marijuana change and had that option, and my warrant is over missing court over expired tags.

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      0
      0