Bronx Desk Appearance Ticket

Do not assume that because you have been given a desk appearance ticket instead of another type of a citation or paperwork that you have been arrested, that you shouldn't take the case seriously. Don't take any desk appearance ticket lightly, because you had in fact been arrested. The receipt of a DAT in the Bronx means that you have already been arrested legally. It is your responsibility to appear in court and to respond to the accusations against you. Whether you got pulled over and got in trouble for a DWI or any other charge, a lawyer should be retained immediately.

When it is time to do this, it is strongly recommended that you have a Bronx DAT defense lawyer at your side. A DAT defense lawyer in the Bronx can further advise you about what this means and what you need to do in order to comply and avoid further consequences.

Because individuals are not typically handcuffed during a DAT arrest, many individuals confuse this with a simple traffic ticket, and believe that a DAT in the long run does not really matter.

It is important that you do continue to appear in court and respond to the accusations against you. You are still facing the same possible consequences for a conviction, which is typically up to a year in jail; as if you are arrested in any other manner. DATs are often given by the police for non-violent misdemeanor charges, but this still means that you need to respond to a crime and be prepared to defend yourself.

A DAT defense attorney in the Bronx can help to advise you about the pertinent steps that you must take immediately after being issued a DAT. In the majority of cases in which DATs are given, you may assume that you do not need a Bronx DAT defense attorney. However, these misdemeanor charges still should lead you to see the benefit in retaining a lawyer who can advocate for your best interests. Some of the most common situations in which a DAT is given include:

• Jumping a turnstile
• Harassment
• Shoplifting or petty larceny
• Marijuana possession
• Property damage
• Graffiti
• Weapons possession at any New York airport

Someone who has extensive legal experience and understands the ways in which the police use DATs and may not provide you with all of the pertinent information about your case, should be retained immediately to provide you with further details. If you wait for the court to assign you a public defender or a legal aid lawyer, you could end up decreasing your chances of a beneficial outcome. In many cases, you won't even appear in court or meet your attorney until weeks after the DAT has been received. In the interim you are losing the opportunity to share the critical details surrounding your arrest as well as the alleged crime itself, directly with your lawyer. While this information is still fresh in your mind, you should contact a criminal defense attorney who has years of experience navigating the complex New York legal justice system as it relates to DATs. By the time that you meet with a public defender or a legal aid lawyer in court, it is weeks after the ticket has been received and any of the crucial evidence that may have worked in your favor, may have already disappeared. This is why you need to retain someone immediately who can take the necessary action quickly to:

• Interview any witnesses to the crime in question
• Obtain copies of videos related to the crime scene
• Thoroughly and comprehensively review your case and prepare a compelling defense
• Give you the one-on-one attention that you deserve

A DAT might not seem as serious as other types of crimes, but it is a big mistake to ignore this possibility and to set yourself up to face the serious criminal consequences associated with a DAT conviction. Skipping out on court is another common mistake that individuals make when they have been given a DAT. Do not fall for the myth that a DAT is not the same as an arrest or should not prompt you to call a lawyer. You need an attorney to represent your interests from the very moment you receive a DAT, and waiting too long could compromise the outcome of your case and affect your future and your freedom.