I see many cases where people enter into Pretrial Diversion or Pretrial Intervention Programs and then end up with a bench warrant because they mistakenly thought that they had completed the program.
The client may have finished their community hours and classes, but perhaps there was an outstanding fee they forgot to pay.
Failure to satisfy all monetary obligations (PTI/PTD programs always have fees) is considered a violation of your program and will result in unsuccessful completion. If you unsuccessfully complete a diversion program, the case will go back to court and there will be a new court date. Failure to appear for that court date will result in the issuance of a bench warrant.
When you begin a diversion program, make sure you not only fully understand ALL the conditions of the program, make sure you have a person with whom you can make contact over at the program office. This will ensure good communication and that you are always on top of your requirements.
A diversion program is a good thing. It will enable you to get your case dismissed and hopefully, get your record expunged.
Make sure you communicate with your program and fully understand when you are done with all the program requirements.
Eric Matheny is a criminal defense attorney serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.