I went to Court and my Case wasn’t on Calendar, What Happens Next?

Your first Court date is considered your arraignment. That is when the Court informs you of the charges filed against you. It is important to note that the arresting officer recommends charges to the prosecutor’s office; however, it is the deputy filing prosecutor who decides which violations you will actually be charged with. It is not uncommon for a defendant to appear in Court and find out that his/her case is not on calendar. If that should occur, you should go to the Clerk of the Court or District Attorney’s Office and ask for a date stamp evidencing you were in Court on that particular day. The prosecutor’s office has one year from the date of the offense to file a complaint against you. Once the prosecutor’s office does file the complaint, you will receive a letter in the mail stating your new arraignment date. You will be required to appear in Court on that date. Most DUI offenses are charged as misdemeanors. If you are charged with a misdemeanor and you hire a defense attorney to represent you, in most circumstances your attorney can appear in Court on your behalf without you having to be present in Court.