It might seem a little silly to give advice on how to get to court on time, but enough people miss their court dates that it seems sometimes necessary to do so. Remember that getting to court on time is unlike any other appointment that you have. If you miss your court date, you’re looking at serious legal consequences. If you happen to be out of jail on a bail bond, the consequences are going to be complicated by the fact that you will have a serious issue with the company that issued your bail bond if you fail to appear. Here are some tips.
Plan to Be Early
There’s an old saying that to be on time is to be early. Do not plan to make it to court 10 or 15 minutes before you are to appear before the judge. Be there an hour early. This might seem like an inconvenience but, in reality, there are times when the court is isn’t quite as busy and where you might actually be able to get out earlier if you show up earlier, simply because of a light day at the court. The larger jails, such as Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, take longer to get to your assigned court room.
Call Ahead and Learn the Security
Everybody is well aware of the fact that you can’t bring weaponry into court. There are some other items, however, that may be banned. You should figure out what these are well in advance of your court date. The reason for doing so is that, for example, if you took the bus to court and you happened to have a cell phone on you, you might not be able to bring that into the courthouse and you might not have anywhere to store it. The guards are not going to take responsibility for it for you.
By knowing what you have to bring and what you cannot bring, you can avoid any delays that may actually make you late for your appearance before the judge.
Have Your Paperwork
If there is any paperwork that you need to bring to court, lay it all out on the table the night before and make sure it’s all there. You don’t need to be scrambling for documents when you’re trying to get to court on time.
Multiple Rides
If you don’t have a vehicle of your own, arrange for a ride. If you don’t have any friends who are reliable, set aside the money to take a cab to court so that you can be sure to be there on time.
