Things You Need to Know about a Desk Appearance Ticket

If you have a Desk Appearance Ticket, or DAT, your situation is pretty serious – but many people who get them don’t understand the full implication. After all, it’s just a slip of paper… right?

3 Things You Need to Know about Your Desk Appearance Ticket

When you’re issued a DAT, it means that the police don’t feel like you’re going to skip town. They’re trusting you to show up in court to defend yourself against the crimes you’ve been accused of committing.

That said, there are three things that most people don’t realize about Desk Appearance Tickets.

1. A Desk Appearance Ticket can be issued for anything from a minor misdemeanor to some felonies. When you receive a DAT, it’s the beginning of criminal prosecution; it’s not something you can disregard because you don’t think it’s very serious. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the DAT means they weren’t accused of a crime that carries a serious penalty, but that’s simply not the case.
2. You need to consider working with a lawyer if you’re issued a DAT. Because you’ve been accused of committing a crime, it’s always a smart idea to work with someone who understands New York laws and who will try to protect your rights. Unfortunately, because some people don’t take DATs seriously, they think that even if they’re convicted, they’ll probably walk away with something as simple as a fine. Remember: you’re given a DAT so that you’re not taking up jail space after your arrest and because you have been accused of a crime.
3. When you appear in court, you’ll be informed of your official charges – and you could be sent directly to jail. Many people think that they can show up on their court date and they’ll be allowed to leave the courthouse with information. That’s not always true; your judge will actually decide on that date whether bail should be set. That means you could be carted away in handcuffs and taken directly to jail to await your trial.

Don’t take a gamble with your Desk Appearance Ticket. The consequences could be far more serious than you think. Make sure you’re working with someone who can fight for your rights and help keep you out of hot water.

This is a transcription of an interview with James Medows.