My wife didn't pay a speeding ticket, missed her court date and now has a bench warrant and suspended liscense

Question

My wife didn't pay a speeding ticket, missed her court date and now has a bench warrant and suspended license. Who should we contact to resolve the matter, and what can she expect to be the "penalty" for her wrong doings? I realize this is not a matter to be taken lightly and hope someone that has gone through this might be able to help. Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Contact the Police station, and explain the situation. Supply your wife's information, and they should be able to supply you with the warrant, and bond information. Your wife will have to surrender herself to the Police. After being processed, and bonded, she will be given a court date. The Judge will decide what the fine will be for the violation. After she has satisfied the court, she will have to prove to the DMV that the fine was paid. It will now be up to the DMV as to when she can pay a reinstatement fee and obtain her license.

Answer 2

If your wife has the citation still, contact the Court information that should be listed on the Citation. If she doesn't have it contact the Law Enforcement Agency that issued her the citation and get the Court information from them. Some have a Municipal Court(Local) while others go through the Circuit Court system(Countywide).

Getting a Lawyer would be pointless because she missed the Court date and was found guilty because of this. Find out what the Bond amount for the warrant is and pay it at the Court Clerk's Office or you can post with the Police Dept. The warrant will be "Quashed" then and there. KEEP THE PAYMENT RECEIPT! just in case though.

If her Driver's Lic. was suspended solely because she failed to appear and didn't pay the fine that was imposed by the Court, the court can rescind the order to suspend with your state's DMV and she'll be reinstated. If it was because of the violation and her driving record, she's going to have to wait. The Court Clerk should be able to provide this information to you.

But the Bottom line is, PAY THE FINE, NOW!

Answer 3

You don't need to get her a lawyer. The same thing happened to me but it was parking tickets. First, call you local police department and go in and have the warrant served on your wife. She may have two options - pay the ticket and the cost of issuing the warrant which is generally $200 - $300. If she pays all this she may not have to go to court and everything will be dropped. Or she can pay the ticket and then set a court date and explain to the judge why she missed her court date and didn't pay her ticket. Then pay cost associated with issuing the warrant. The most important plan of action is contacting the police department and having the warrant served immediately! After all this is took care of - her driver's license will be reinstated and she will have to go to the DMV and pay to have them reinstated as well. Don't skip the DMV process that's a must to get her license reinstated - that also cost about $100.00. So don't waste the money on a lawyer unless you have money to waste - you can do it all without a lawyer.

Answer 4

She needs to contact the court and tell them the reason she missed her court date. She also needs to go to the court house and pay any fees so she can get her license reinstated. She will have to pay a penalty fee for missing her court date and not paying her fees by that date but normally, there is no other penalty. If she waits and is arrested she will go to jail. If she volunatarily makes contact with the court and makes arrangements to pay her fines and to appear on the bench warrant then she will be okay.

I missed a court date on a ticket once because I didn't receive the notice of the date and time of appearance until after the date had passed. I went down to the court house and immediately payed the fine, got an abstract to get my license reistated, and made a new date to get the bench warrant removed. It took a few hours but was easy otherwise.

Answer 5

You don't need a lawyer. Do this. Pay the speeding ticket. You go to the Court House, not your wife. Tell her not to drive. Once a "warrant" is issued, she will be "held" for a bail hearing. Now once you pay the ticket it will take time to get processed, depending on where you live. Give the ticket payment time to work through the system,and check every day to see that. Once it is cleared,you should take your wife to the nearest police station and with the paid fine,turn herself in. Do this in the morning, so you can go straight to court and get the charges, (bench warrant) removed. The fine will be issued accordingly, you can find that out when you go and pay the speeding ticket. Court costs, double the ticket or maybe 3x's the ticket and anything else the Judge who issued the Bench Warrant put on it. Pray to God he/she didn't impose a mandatory jail sentence! Good Luck .. and remember everything I told you...

Answer 6

Well what did you expect the courts was going to do give her hugs and kisses,for not paying a speeding ticket missing her court date which by the way is and automatic bench warrant ok genius,
Wait a minute resolve what matter I know plenty of people who have in my family that is why I am telling you this and I do not feel sorry for your wife she sounds very irresponsible ok!
I will tell you what is going to happen the longer she lets this go on the more likely she will do jail time if she gets a ticked off judge she will pay surcharges on her fines involving her license and if this is not her first offense her license will probably be lost from six months to a year.
And both of you better either contact the clerk of the court or she better turn herself in before they come to your door and get her or see her on the street and snatch her up either way it is not very mature what she is doing how old is she 5,it s her fault own up to it and get it out of the way the longer it goes the worst it will be for her not You,but Her.

Answer 7

Wow you are all crazy. Don't get a lawyer that's just going to cost more money. A bench warrant is a 50 dollar ticket. Go to the Court house and explain it to the clerk, she will make you pay the 50 bucks then give you a court date, make sure she goes this time. Your probably looking at 150 - 200 for the ticket with late fees, and an additional 50 for the bench warrant.

Answer 8

If you go to the police station where the ticket was issued, tell them the situation on behalf of your wife, they may be able to tell you the best thing to do. You definitely should get the money and penalty fees paid as soon as possible and petition the court to drop the bench warrent. There is a small chance that you'll get a judge that 'might' understand enough to drop the charges on your wife. She might have a suspended license, even after all that, but it's the best chance you have if you intend on taking care of this all on your own.

An even better thing, get a lawyer. If you can, a lawyer might able to help you because that is about the only sure way you can make a bad situation less of a headache and might save you some leg work in the process.

Answer 9

if your in Canada go to the court office where she was supposed to make her appearance. Since she has been convicted fill out the form to reopen the trial. I can't remember what it's called but ask the people at the court office they should hopefully know. on the form they will ask you why you want to reopen it....MAKE SURE IT'S A REALLY GOOD REASON! if you know what I mean. the only thing is she will have to pay the 150 $ to get her license and then after the trial whatever set fine the justice sets. but just so you know if she was clocked going anymore than 40 over the limit don't take it to trial plead guilty with an explaination other wise if she loses her license will be suspended for 2 years or something. but either way will help. my biggest advice is go to them and play dumb like you just noticed you forgot the date and you wanted to straighten everything out. If they go to you first things won't be taken lightly.....best of luck hope I could help

Answer 10

I would retain an attorney to run interference for her. If you do not want to retain an attorney then you do the following. Notify the Clerk of Courts that you had missed your court date, (make up any feasible excuse, like you were away, or ill), that you would like to have another court date set. Since a Bench Warrant had been issued, the only way to satisfy this warrant is to appear before the Judge that issued it. This is why you should retain an attorney. The attorney can go to the issuing Judge, explain the situation and promise that he or she will have the person in court on the date that the Judge sets. The Judge then can lift the Bench Warrant and reschedule a court date. In some states if you fail to appear not only is a bench warrant issued, but some will find you guilty in abstentia. This is probably why the license was suspended. You are going to need a lawyer for this if you want it to go smoothly.