Notice to Appear for Misdemeanor Charges

Did you receive a “notice to appear” for misdemeanor charges in Tampa or Plant City, Hillsborough County, Florida? If so, contact a criminal defense attorney at the Sammis Law Firm to discuss your case. Our offices are located in downtown Tampa. We focus on fighting misdemeanor cases right here in Hillsborough County.

A notice to appear is common for both first-degree and second-degree misdemeanor charges, including:

• possession of marijuana;
• possession of drug paraphernalia;
• shoplifting (retail theft or petit theft);
• driving while license suspended with knowledge;
• trespass;
• resisting or obstructing an officer without violence;
• underaged possession of alcohol.

Whether you are formally arrested and held at the county jail or released at the scene with a notice to appear, the result is the same—you are charged with a crime.

If you go to court and enter a plea of guilty or no contest, you will have a criminal record that carries a host of indirect consequences that might last a lifetime. If you fail to appear, an arrest warrant will be issued for your arrest.

Attorney for a Notice to Appear in Tampa, FL

If you were issued a citation or notice to appear to answer criminal charges for a misdemeanor in Tampa or Plant City, FL, contact an attorney at Sammis Law Firm. Our offices are located in downtown Tampa. We are experienced in fighting these types of cases.

The best result is getting the prosecutor to drop the charges. In other cases, the best result is asking the court to dismiss the charges. Contact us to discuss the best way to resolve the criminal charges pending against you after a notice to appear is issued.

Call (813) 250-0500 today.

What is a notice to appear?

Rule 3.125(a) defines “notice to appear” to mean a “written order issued by a law enforcement officer in lieu of physical arrest requiring a person accused of violating the law to appear in a designated court or governmental office at a specified date and time.”

When you receive a notice to appear, you are essentially arrested and released before being formally booked into the county jail. The Notice to Appear acts much like a summons (except it is issued by a law enforcement officer instead of a judge). The form for the Notice to Appear is set forth in Rule 3.125(l), Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure.

If you are issued a notice to appear, it will direct you to comply with certain instructions, such as appearing in court at a designated time and place. If you fail to appear in court at the appropriate time, the trial court is required to issue an arrest warrant.

The arresting officer may issue the notice to appear at the time of the arrest. Alternatively, you may be brought to the police headquarters or jail and released from that location with a notice to appear.

Notice to Appear issued by the Arresting Officer

If a person is arrested for a second degree or first degree misdemeanor or a municipal or county ordinance violation, then a notice to appear can be issued unless:

1. the defendant refuses to sufficiently identify himself or supply certain information;
2. the defendant refuses to sign the notice to appear;
3. the arresting officer has reason to believe that the continued liberty of the defendant constitutes an unreasonable risk of bodily injury to the accused or others;
4. the defendant has no ties with the jurisdiction reasonably sufficient to assure the defendant’s appearance or there is substantial risk that the accused will refuse to respond to the notice;
5. the defendant has any suspicion that the defendant may be wanted in any jurisdiction; or
6. it appears that the defendant previously has failed to respond to a notice or a summons or has violated the conditions of any pretrial release program.

Notice to Appear issued by the Booking Officer

If a person is arrested for a second degree or first degree misdemeanor or a municipal or county ordinance violence, then a notice to appear can be issued by the booking officer. In many of these cases, the arresting officer does not issue notice to appear because of one of the exceptions listed in subdivision (b).

After the defendant is taken to the county jail, sheriff’s office, or the police department, then the booking officer may issue a notice to appear if the officer determines that there is a likelihood that the accused will appear as directed, based on a reasonable investigation of the following:

1. the defendant’s residence and length of residence in the community;
2. the defendant’s family ties in the community;
3. the defendant’s employment record;
4. the defendant’s character and mental condition;
5. the defendant’s past record of convictions; or
6. the defendant’s past history of appearance at court proceedings.

Notice to Appear in Hillsborough County, FL

For a notice to appear at the courthouse in Tampa or Plant City in Hillsborough County, FL, the notice can be issued by any of the following law enforcement agencies:

1. the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office;
2. the Tampa Police Department;
3. the Florida Highway Patrol;
4. the Temple Terrace Police Department; or
5. the Plant City Police Department.

What Happens After a Failure to Appear on the NTA?

Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure, Rule 3.125(h) provides:

If a person signs a written notice to appear and fails to respond to the notice to appear, a warrant of arrest shall be issued under rule 3.121.

The judge can issue an arrest warrant in a courtroom after the court determines that the person who signed the notice failed to appear in court as outlined in Rule 3.121.

If an active arrest warrant has been issued for your arrest because you failed to appear in court after being issued a notice to appear by the arresting officer, then it is particularly important that you contact an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Under Section 901.31, any person who willfully fails to appear before any court as required by a written notice to appear can be fined, regardless of the disposition of the charge upon which the person was originally arrested.

Additional Resources

Notice to Appear under Chapter 901 – Visit the Florida Legislature’s Online Sunshine website to find the statutory language for arrests in Chapter 901. Under Section 901.28, the issuance of a notice to appear shall not be construed to affect a law enforcement officer’s authority to conduct an otherwise lawful search.

This article was last updated on Thursday, September 19, 2024.