What happens if I missed my court date?

In most cases a bench warrant issues promptly, sometimes within hours. Bond on the original case may be revoked, and the new bond may be higher or absent.

What matters now is speed and explanation. A missed appearance addressed within days, with a reason and documentation, is treated differently than one addressed after an arrest months later. Courts see the difference between a person who came forward and a person who was caught.

Reasons that carry weight when documented: hospitalization, a medical emergency, incarceration elsewhere, a notice sent to an old address, or a scheduling error by counsel. Reasons that don't: forgetting, transportation problems without any attempt to notify, and confusion about the date.

The mechanism is a motion to recall the warrant, and it's generally filed with an affidavit or supporting documents.