Definitions

State

Jurisdiction, including D.C.

Additional charges

The court imposes additional charges for missing court, including fines and imprisonment.

Strict liability

No specific intent is required to be criminally responsible for nonappearance.

Consideration of intent

The court considers whether a person intended to miss court to evade justice, using terms like “willfully” or “knowingly” or “intentionally” failed to appear.

Excused absence

The law allows for a defendant to argue for an excused absence, usually due to “circumstances beyond their control.” However, those excused absences will be ultimately left to a judge’s discretion.

Grace period

A period of time after a person misses court in which they can return or get in touch with the court before penalties are imposed

Out-of-state distinction

The law makes a distinction between someone who fails to appear while in the state and someone who has left the jurisdiction.

Citations

Citations for FTA-related statutes