Failing to appear in Circuit (Felony) Court is significantly more serious than failing to appear in County (Misdemeanor) Court.
When you fail to appear before a Circuit Court judge in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach, an alias capias (AC or Capias) is issued.
Most of the time, a Capias comes with a no-bond hold. This means that you will remain in custody until you see the judge.
If you are running late to court one morning and you miss your hearing, you need to get the matter resolved right away. Coming late to court and not showing up at all are two very different things.
If you do not show up at all and the police have to come to your home or place of employment to find you, it will be much harder to get the warrant set aside.
If you are proactive and can get your criminal attorney to schedule the matter right away, it is far easier to get a warrant set aside due to a mistake than a willful and intentional failure to appear.
Don't mess around when it comes to court appearances. Unless your presence is waived, you are required to appear when noticed for court.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney assisting clients with misdemeanor and felony warrants in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.