You check the calendar and your stomach drops. You realize your court date was yesterday. Perhaps you found an old citation in your glove box that you completely forgot about.
It is a common mistake for busy professionals and students. While the situation feels scary, it is often fixable if you act fast.
Is there a warrant out for me?
The answer depends on the severity of the original ticket. In North Carolina, missing a court date results in a “failure to appear.” For minor infractions, judges often issue a generic failure to appear status rather than an immediate arrest warrant.
However, if the ticket was for a misdemeanor, such as reckless driving or speeding more than 15 mph over the limit, a judge may sign an order for arrest. This means law enforcement can take a driver into custody if they are stopped for another reason.
The silent penalty: license suspension
Even if the police do not come knocking, the administrative consequences are damaging. The court system notifies the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) about the missed date. The NCDMV then moves to revoke driving privileges.
Here is what typically happens after the court marks a driver as absent:
- The court adds a $200 fee to the existing fines.
- The DMV issues an indefinite suspension of the driver’s license.
- A judge may issue an order for arrest for misdemeanor charges.
These penalties generally remain in effect until the case is fully resolved.
You might not have to go to court
Many people fear calling the courthouse because they worry about being arrested the moment they walk in the door. This is where traffic ticket defense strategies come into play.
A legal professional can often file a motion to strike the failure to appear and recall the order for arrest without the driver needing to be physically present in the courtroom. This allows a driver to clear the warrant and save their license without the fear of being taken into custody.