Monday, March 28, 2016

Massachusetts | Failure to Appear


 Failure to Appear
STARLAW.US
In the state of Massachusetts, it is important that you show up in court when you are requested. It is not uncommon for a judge to release someone on a bond with the promise to show up for their court date in the future. While most individuals will show up on their court date without an issue, failure to appear can turn into criminal charges. This can apply whether you are a witness, felony cases and misdemeanor cases. When you are charged with failure to appear, it is important to contact the professionals at starlaw.us to get the help you need.

There are several times when things beyond your control will result in a failure to appear. You may have forgotten about the court date, your car might have broken down, or another emergency forced you to miss out on the court date. When this happens, it is important to hire a defense attorney to help you get things straightened out and possibly eliminate the criminal charges.

Penalties

If you are dealing with felony charges and did not appear in court, this failure to appear is going to be classified as a Class D felony. These felonies have penalties that include spending 5 years in jail and fines up to $7000. If you skipped out on a case that is considered a misdemeanor, your charge will become a serious misdemeanor. Under the laws of Massachusetts, the penalties can include a year of jail and fines up to $1875.

Not Appearing as a Witness

If you are supposed to appear as a witness to a trial, there are some different punishments and rules that will apply. When you fail to appear as a witness, you are charged a simple misdemeanor. You may have to spend 30 days at jail and can be fined up to $625.

Regardless of which failure to appear applies to you, it is important that you answer the request within a day. This is a scary time once you realize you missed out on the appearance and most people are worried about what will happen. With the right legal defense, you can get this sorted out and may be able to reduce the penalties against you.

The next steps

As soon as you are issued a failure to appear, it is critical to get the legal defense that you need. This defense can take the time to look through your case and talk to the judge on your behalf. Through negotiations and presenting of facts, you may be given another chance and the felony can be reduced.

The lawyers on starlaw.us we strive to provide our clients with the best legal team possible for forgery and fraud. If you find yourself facing these kinds of charges, please feel free to contact our defense attorneys  Ask for a free initial consultation.


Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Essex County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Town and County of Nantucket, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

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