Your punishment could be severe if you are convicted of reckless driving in Virginia. You need to raise all the defenses you have to fight the charges you face and avoid the punishments and long-term consequences of a conviction.
Why Would the Police Miss a Reckless Driving Court Hearing?
You may feel you have an easy defense if the police officer who arrested you fails to show up at your court hearing. Unfortunately, it can have less of an impact on your case than you might believe. There could be many reasons that the officer could not attend your court hearing.
Common Reasons an Officer May Miss a Court Hearing
- Illness
- Family emergency
- Public safety emergency
- Attendance at another court hearing where they must testify
What If the Police Fail to Show Up at Your Hearing?
Although you face harsh consequences for missing your reckless driving court hearing, this is not the case if the police officer does not attend it. Unfortunately, getting a reckless driving case dismissed for this reason is rare.
What Happens After an Officer Does Not Attend the Hearing
- When police contact the court. In many cases, the police would contact the court before the hearing either by telephone or by sending a letter to inform the judge why they cannot attend. The judge would most likely reschedule your hearing to another date.
- When police don’t contact the court. If the officer does not show up at your hearing and has not notified the court in advance, it is still unlikely that your case would be dismissed. The court clerk would try to reach them to reschedule your hearing. The police understand the importance of attending reckless driving hearings and would probably cooperate in rescheduling yours.
Have you been arrested for reckless driving in Virginia? Our experienced reckless driving lawyers understand the ramifications of a conviction on your life. We will aggressively defend you against the charges you face. This could result in the charges being dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense through a plea bargain. To find out more about how we can assist you, call our Manassas office at 888-DUI-LWYR or fill out our convenient online form to schedule your free consultation today.
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