Notice to Appear - Criminal Lawyers

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What is a notice to appear?

Just because you are not physically arrested by a police officer does not mean that you are off the hook.  Many times, a Notice to Appear in Court is given instead for shoplifting, traffic crimes, and other misdemeanors.  The effect of the situation is still the same as if you had been arrested before.  When your court date comes, have an experienced attorney from Brown & Rice, PA standing next to you.

Do I have to go to court? What if I paid a civil penalty?

It's important that you comply with the notice to appear. We often see, particularly in traffic and shoplifting cases, that people get confused by the notice to appear and miss their court dates. This is a serious problem which may result in unnecessary time in the county jail.  Sometimes accused shoplifters receive letters demanding payment from lawyers who work for the stores. Paying this "civil theft penalty" does not have any affect on your criminal charges and you still must appear for court. If you have any questions about your misdemeanor case notice to appear, call us at (407) 956-2172 to discuss your situation.

Missing this court date results in a Failure to Appear on your record.  A warrant will likely be issued for your arrest, and it becomes a more difficult position to defend.  Not only are you being charged with committing a crime, but now the court will may refuse to set bond.

No matter what position you find yourself in, we are here to help.  Give us a call, or come into our office to discuss how we can better assist you.  Our phone line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  When the case has been settled, we may even be able to help you seal or expunge it from your record so that it does not show on background checks.  In essence, it will appear as though it never happened.

To set up your confidential consultation with one of our Orlando criminal defense lawyers, give us a call at (407) 956-2172, or contact us online.