As in every state, it is a crime in New Jersey to skip out on an ordered court appearance when a criminal summons has been issued.
Known as Bail Jumping or Default in Required Appearance (N.J.S.A. 2C:29-7), knowingly failing to appear for a scheduled court date can carry serious criminal sanction by itself, the underlying charge notwithstanding.
The core element in proving a Bail Jumping charge – which can apply even if there was no actual bail applied at the time you were released – is that you knowingly failed to appear after a summons was issued.
Many people in New Jersey move frequently or don’t have a consistent place of residence. A summons may be sent to an old address, or sometimes not sent at all.
There are defenses for Bail Jumping charges, and an experienced defense lawyer can help you take full advantage of them, and head off an additional criminal charge.
Don’t be steamrolled by the system when you’ve been charged with a minor crime and didn’t receive a summons for your court date.
Matthew Reisig has defended people in New Jersey from all sorts of charges for nearly 20 years.
Call 732-625-9661 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney for free.