You should allow enough time for your trip to court. Bring any documents you have about the case, including the letter asking you to go to court. However, there are not many reasons for a court to accept as grounds for non-participation. One of the main reasons is if you have pre-booked and paid vacations, but you need documentation to support it. If you are worried about being released from work to go to court, you should let your employer know as soon as possible. It`s not your choice whether or not to go to court, so your employer should normally give you time off. You can present to your employer the letter you received from the Public Prosecutor`s Office (PPS) or a defence lawyer to prove that you need to go to court. If you are sick and unable to appear in court, it is important that you receive a letter or report from the hospital or your GP as soon as possible. It should be clear in the letter that you feel too uncomfortable to appear in court. You may disobey the court if you speak publicly or post on social media. Being busy or having classes, business meetings, etc. are not valid excuses for not showing up for a court hearing for which you have been subpoenaed.
However, a trip abroad booked prior to receipt of the subpoena is generally considered a valid excuse for not showing up. The Family Court hears cases involving families and children. They can help resolve family conflicts related to divorce, adoption and child arrangements. If you have to go to family court, it can be a daunting and emotional process, but it`s an important process, and you need to be involved and engaged. Not only could there be consequences if you don`t attend, but it also makes you look bad, which could also speak against you at the hearing. If the matter goes to court and you need to testify, you will be contacted. Anecdotal evidence suggests that more and more defendants are not showing up for their court dates – there are more people without permanent residence and so many courts have closed that it is often difficult to get to the local court and pay for the ticket. Starting in March 2020, cases can be postponed if you suspect or confirm coronavirus, self-isolate, or are responsible for coronavirus-related childcare.
If this is the case, the court will decide whether the case can be heard by video or audio link, and possibly the application fee could be waived. The court may impose conditions on your bail if it believes they reduce the risk that you will commit crimes, not show up for the next hearing or contact witnesses. There are many conditions that a court can impose, including living at a specific address, staying indoors between certain hours (which can be verified with an electronic tag), not having contact with certain people, not visiting certain places, and reporting regularly to the police station. You can also demand that someone pay money to the court that will be lost if you don`t show up for your hearings, or agree to pay money if this happens. If you breach a bail condition, you will be arrested and brought back to court, and bail will be reviewed. If you do not appear in court, an arrest warrant will be issued for you, and it is likely that the police will look for you at your home, or you could be arrested on the street. If you do not qualify for legal aid, you can pay for a private lawyer. Most lawyers can offer a fixed fee for a case. It is helpful to contact a few lawyers to get the best idea of what a fair price is. If you are found guilty of not appearing in court, you can be sent to jail for up to 3 months. This is in addition to any sentence imposed for the original offence for which you were out on bail after not appearing in court. If you made a written statement and would like to see a copy before you testify, ask the person who asked you to appear in court to give you a copy.
You also commit a separate offence for which you may be fined, imprisoned, or both. It is important to note that it also gives judges the discretion to revoke your right to bail and remand you until the end of the proceedings if you are not present in court. If you disobey the court, you can go to jail for up to 2 years, get a fine, or both. The court will decide if you have a valid excuse for not testifying in court. You will usually be called to a new hearing if you had a valid excuse for your no-show. First impressions are important in many situations, and when it comes to Family Court, it`s no different. Making sure you show up, arrive on time, are polite, well-mannered and respectful says a lot about who you are to the court. If the court makes decisions about arrangements for your child, proving that you care about how you are perceived will give the court a more favourable assessment of your ability to raise the children appropriately.