Depending on the specifics of your case, you (or your lawyer) may be required to show up in court to address the matter. Not all cases require a mandatory court appearance, and you can certainly show up even if the mandatory appearance box isn’t checked on your citation. But what types of cases would require you to appear in court to contest the citation or arrest? In today’s blog, we explain when a court appearance is mandatory in Minnesota following a run-in with the law.
Mandatory Court Appearances In Minnesota
We advise that you strongly consider showing up for your court appearance even if it is not mandatory, because that’s the best way to get the charges reduce or dropped, or have some say in a potential sentence. However, you don’t have this option in all criminal cases. Some court appearances are mandatory, and they are typically reserved for more serious cases. Minnesota law states that court appearances by the defendant and/or a lawyer are required for/when:
- All felony offenses.
- All gross misdemeanor offenses.
- All misdemeanor offenses unless designated as payable.
- All misdemeanor violations of ordinances, unless designated as payable within a county by the district court.
- Any otherwise payable offense if the “Endangering Life or Property” box is checked on the citation or the case is charged by complaint or petition.
- The case is charged by complaint.
In other words, all felony and gross misdemeanor offenses will require you to appear in court. Many misdemeanors will require an appearance unless otherwise noted or in the event that you pay a fine, which will be considered an admission of guilt. Paying a fine may lead to additional sanctions by the court, so you’ll want to read your citation closely to ensure you understand what will happen if you pay the fine.
If court is mandatory, our advice is to connect with a lawyer. You’ll be facing serious charges if a court appearance is mandatory, and a lawyer can help you avoid a worst case scenario and may be able to appear on your behalf so that you don’t need to attend court (check with your lawyer, as your personal appearance still may be mandatory or recommended).
If you’ve been told that your criminal matter requires a court appearance, or you plan to show up to court to contest the issue during a non-mandatory appearance, connect with a legal professional who can guide you through the experience. In the greater Twin Cities area, we hope you’ll connect with the experienced defense team at Appelman Law Firm. Give our team a call today at (952) 224-2277.
