Missing a court date can create long-term financial problems
Whether you’re a plaintiff or defendant in a civil or criminal case, not missing a court date should be a top priority because, otherwise, you could face long-term financial problems, including immediate costs and penalties. Asset and credit damage could also occur, and so can income loss.
With a missed court date, legal issues that could lead to long-term financial setbacks could also arise, such as a court warrant (bench warrant) for failure to appear (FTA). FTAs can result in jail time. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, there’s a link between at least one in eight jail bookings and FTAs.
If You Miss a Court Date, What Happens?
The exact outcome depends on the circumstances surrounding your case, but a common penalty associated with missing a court date is a bench warrant.
A bench warrant is an official, written order from a judge. It gives the police power and authority to arrest the named individual (e.g., the defendant or respondent) for missing a required court appearance.
As the non-profit organization, the Policing Project, notes, judges issue millions of these arrest warrants every year. Most are for people who didn’t pay a fine or have missed a court date for a low-level offense.
If you get arrested (or someone you know does) following the issuance of a bench warrant, your information will go into local and state police computer databases and networks. Your state department of motor vehicles may also suspend your driver’s license.
A person previously arrested and out on an existing bond who misses a court date can face bond forfeiture, too. In this case, the judge will likely seize the property used as collateral for the bond or the entire bail amount. The court then keeps these funds permanently.
What Is the Best Excuse for Missing a Court Date?
There’s no “good” or “best” excuse for missing a court date, but judges accept valid reasons. In most, if not all, cases, defendants or respondents need to provide proof.
Examples of valid reasons include:
- Medical emergencies for the defendant or respondent (e.g., emergency surgery or sudden hospitalization), as evidenced by hospital records or a licensed doctor’s notes
- Bereavement (i.e., death of an immediate family member or close relative), as proven by an obituary or death certificate
- Court scheduling issues (e.g., clerical errors or no proper official court notification)
How Can Missing a Court Date Create Long-Term Financial Problems?
Missing a court date can create long-term financial problems by requiring defendants or respondents to pay hefty fines and penalties. It can also lead to asset damage, such as in cases of bond forfeiture. Credit scores and incomes can take a massive hit, too.
Hefty Fines and Penalties
Missing a court date can trigger a bench warrant, with an arrest often mandating the defendant to post bail. Defendants can pay this 100% upfront, whether with cash or credit, and if they do, they should get the full amount back provided they attend all succeeding court dates.
Courts around the country, however, may impose extra charges on people who miss a scheduled court date. Such additional fines may apply to defendants, whether they’ve posted bail using cash or property in Atlanta, GA, or are out on bail bonds in Hamilton County, IN.
In the above scenarios, courts may require a separate charge for an FTA. They may also forfeit any previously paid fine or bail.
Unfortunately, bail amounts can already be quite high, with the median amount for a felony charge sitting at $10,000, according to Harvard Law School’s research center, Access to Justice Lab.
Asset and Credit Damage
Missing a court date can result in defendants or respondents getting a default judgment. If this happens, creditors can:
- Freeze bank accounts
- Garnish wages
- Impose property liens
- Force the sale of properties
All those legal actions can cause a significant reduction in a person’s credit score, damaging their overall financial standing.
Income Loss
Income loss can also result from missing a court date, which, as mentioned above, can trigger an arrest that can lead to jail time. The longer a person is in jail, the:
- More days of work they miss
- Higher their likelihood of facing termination
- More income they lose or are unable to generate
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Missing a Court Date Affect Insurance Rates?
Yes. Missing a court date can result in higher auto insurance rates.
When a defendant or respondent misses a court date, the judge could suspend their driver’s license for failing to appear. The likelihood is higher if the original violation or offense has something to do with a motor vehicle-related infraction (e.g., reckless driving or driving under the influence).
When courts suspend drivers’ licenses or the defendants receive an FTA conviction, auto insurance companies can view them as high-risk drivers. The riskier a driver is in the eyes of auto insurers, the higher their insurance rates typically get.
In this way, the impact that missing a court date can have on auto insurance can also contribute to long-term financial problems.
Auto insurance is already expensive and getting more so each year, having jumped by 43% since 2021, according to a Yahoo article that cites figures from Insurify. It further notes that experts project the average 2026 cost to increase by 1%, reaching a high of $2,158.
How Many Times Can Judges Reschedule a Court Date?
There’s no single standard or fixed limit to the number of times judges can reschedule court dates. Postponements (officially called “continuances”) are entirely dependent on a judge’s discretion.
Judges often approve the initial or first few requests for continuances, so long as there’s a valid reason (e.g., extreme emergencies or severe illnesses). They are, however, likely to deny additional requests, as they also need to push to move cases along.
Avoid Missing a Court Date at All Costs
Missing a court date can have significant, long-term financial consequences, from hefty fines and penalties to possible arrests, asset and credit damage, and income loss. Its repercussions can weigh heavily and for a long time on people’s lives, which is why defendants or respondents should always avoid it at all costs.
Discover more insightful guides and related stories or read up on the latest coverage of local, state, and national issues by exploring the rest of our news site.
