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Blog

Do I Have to Go to Court for My Ticket?

One of the most common questions people ask me is “do I have to go to court for my traffic ticket?”  The answer is: it depends. If you’ve been charged with a class 1 or class 2 misdemeanor, then the answer is yes, you do have to appear in court for your case.  These include charges such as DUI, Reckless Driving, No Operator’s License, Hit & Run, and Suspended License, to name just a few. If you look at the ticket (Summons) you received from the police officer, it will state the name and address of the court you are required to appear in, and the date and time that you are required to appear.

So make sure to mark the date on your calendar – if you miss your court date, the Judge can issue a warrant for your arrest and you’ll be charged with the added charge of Failure to Appear, which is also a class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.  That means you’ll get arrested and go to jail.

Under Virginia Code § 19.2-128, “[a]ny person . . . charged with a misdemeanor offense . . . who willfully fails to appear before any court as required shall be guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor.”

In some cases, it may be possible to hire an attorney to appear in court on your behalf.  If you’re not sure, contact a traffic attorney for further guidance. In the meantime, look at your ticket and make sure you know your court date!

Related posts:

  1. Watch Out for School Buses and School Zones
  2. Citizenship Day 2019
  3. Get Peace of Mind with Gardner & Mendoza
  4. One Good Reason You Need to Lawyer Up

Filed Under: Immigration Blog Articles

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Testimonials

Well, hard to believe… job done! I’m frank to admit I had no idea that it would be so involved compared to 10 years ago when I did the renewal myself. Happily I was fortunate enough to find the best people to help get it done this time. When I was a working stiff it was mostly as a field guy in sales & marketing. High tech communication in those days was a pay phone in customers’ lobbies, so someone back in the office skilled in dealing w/problems was absolutely essential when I couldn’t be contacted. Most of those who supported me that way were good at what they did, some were outstanding. None were better than you!! This tedious & sometimes worrisome process would have been unbearable without your keeping it, & me, on track. So we want to extend our thanks to you and Radlyn. Hoping for Gardner & Mendoza to continue the good work for many years to come. - Anonymous
Gardner and Mendoza Law Firm is a great law firm no matter what kind of situation you may be in! For example I had court today, John Gardner, my attorney represented me today and got the charged dismissed totally the first time we both appeared in front of the judge in Virginia Beach Traffic Court. He uses every bit of knowledge he can to help you get the best results!! He also works very well with Latinos! They have a Spanish speaking person in their office at all times!! - Sebastian
My husband and I had a great experience with Mrs. Mendoza. She provided excellent information and a sense of urgency with every step of our immigration process. Her team was always supportive in getting us the information we needed throughout the whole process. This legal firm also treats their clients with the highest levels of respect. In all of Virginia I would say that the Gardener & Mendoza team is the best recommendation for same sex immigration cases and for immigration cases in general. It was a pleasure to work with them. - Anonymous
I Highly Recommend Radlyn Mendoza, An Excellent Immigration Lawyer. My wife and I were very worried about my wife’s immigration and legal status. We were quite impressed with Attorney Mendoza during our initial consultation. She proved to be a smart, knowledgeable, and very capable immigration attorney. She and her staff were very helpful and responsive to all of our requests. Kudos to her and staff, especially Leesa, for successfully handling our case. Thanks for a job well done. - Thomas and Cheong W.
My daughter received a reckless driving ticket going 60 in a 35 mph zone, so understandably, I was very concerned. In court, Mr. Gardner was able to get the reckless driving charge and ticket completely dismissed due to his knowledge of what the police officer had to present in court. Mr. Gardner was a familiar face to the judge and the clerks in the Virginia Beach courthouse. When we contacted John Gardner’s office at Gardner & Mendoza, he and his staff made us feel comfortable by explaining the whole process to us. His track record and the reviews online helped make the decision to choose Mr. Gardner over other attorneys easy. I highly recommend Mr. Gardner. He gave us peace of mind and won the case too! - Michelle

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Gardner & Mendoza, P.C.
909 First Colonial Rd., Suite 100
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
  • 757-464-9224
  • 757-561-0999
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Our main law office is conveniently located in the Hilltop section of Virginia Beach, near Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital and Oceana Naval Base.

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