Contact your lawyer IMMEDIATELY as well as your bonding company. Some times some counties give a little leeway but not usually. A warrant probably issued for your arrest and you will likely need to make a new and higher bond.

Answer Applies to: Texas
Replied: 9/8/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

If you have a lawyer, call him/her and ask them if you are okay and if you don't have a lawyer, call the Court. Confess missing court, ask if you can come in and get a pass. Do not blow smoke or make up some excuse, this is the time for honesty. A simple, I forgot is honest and much better than my car would not start. Think about it, the Court has heard every excuse there is, you will not come up with anything original. If you have an excuse such as car would not start, bring proof - receipt for a new battery dated day of court, repair bill, etc. If you had a wreck, bring a police report. You get the point. Most importantly, do this ASAP. The longer you wait, the more likely you are to have a bench warrant (capias) issued.

Answer Applies to: Texas
Replied: 9/8/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

If you miss court you will usually have a warrant for your arrest. You need to hire an attorney and get a bail bondsman.

Answer Applies to: Texas
Replied: 9/7/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Don't panic. Assuming it's been within the last day or two that you missed, they may not have even gotten the warrant out yet. Call your bondsman and explain the situation, they may call the court themselves and take care of it, or they may want you to, but often (depending on the court) it won't be that big a deal if you go ahead and take care of it immediately. They may even just tell you to come on in tomorrow morning. If it's been longer than that, or if the court has a strict policy on the subject, you may have to be booked in on the warrant and rebonded, which will typically involve making arrangements for the bondsman to meet you at the jail, and you'd just have to pay the court costs for the bond forfeiture case to the bonding company as long as long as they don't think you're a flight risk.

Answer Applies to: Texas
Replied: 9/7/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.

Bench warrant was probably issued for your failure to show.

Answer Applies to: Texas
Replied: 9/7/2011

Disclaimer: The response above does not form an attorney-client relationship. This answer may or may not apply to you and should not be relied upon as legal advice. LawQA does not make any representation as to the expertise or qualifications of this attorney. This attorney may or may not be admitted to state bar of your state.