Every day, a shocking number of people in Missouri go to jail over minor offenses simply because they failed to pay attention.  No matter how minor a charge, a missed court date or an overlooked criminal summons could result in a person's being arrested and held in jail.  However, with proper care, these mistakes can be easily avoided.

If you are charged with a crime or traffic offense, you will generally learn about your court case in one of two ways.  In most misdemeanor cases in Jefferson County, the Court issues a criminal summons.  A summons is basically a letter that tells you when and where you need to appear in court.  In the event your crime is more serious, or you for some reason don't receive your summons in the mail, the Court may issue an arrest warrant. 

While most people understand that having a warrant is a serious matter, few people understand the appropriate way to handle the situation.  If you learn that there is a warrant for your arrest, you should immediately contact an attorney.  In many cases, where warrants have resulted from a failed summons or a missed court date, having a warrant recalled is simply a matter of having your attorney enter, speak with the prosecuting attorney, and make arrangements for you to appear at a court date.  In more serious matters, an attorney can make certain that a bond is set, and then make arrangements for you to turn yourself in and post bond, therefore minimizing or eliminating time actually spent incarcerated.

Unfortunately, many people don't deal with warrants prior to actually being arrested.  This often results in unnecessary (or unnecessarily long) incarceration.  In some cases, the person may simply not have known that the warrant existed.  One very common reason for a warrant is a missed court date.  If you have been issued a traffic ticket, or a citation of any kind, you will almost certainly have a set court date.  If you have been involved in any type of situation in which law enforcement was called or had to intervene, you could have a court date even if you weren't issued a ticket at the time.  If you suspect you may have a warrant, or that you may have missed a court date for any reason, you can often determine the status of your case by checking Missouri Case.net, or by calling the court.