Scared and unprepared

[Elle524]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MARYLAND around or between June and July I was arrested for the first time in my life and spent 20min in holding till I saw the commissioner and was advised that there was a failure to appear warrent made but verified as wrong address so I was released and went to court and received probation for a year. Now I didn't realize until I received another summons that there was another ticket and another court date missed for the same reason but this court date is this month on the 23rd right before thanksgiving and this is for another failure to appear on a ticket but I'm on probation already. Do I or should I have a lawyer for this because its noted and has been tried that I didn't get the ticket nor the summons but I'm on probation so will this count against me? Will I be better off having public attorney or can I just go and speak on my own behalf?

 

[asiny]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MARYLAND around or between June and July I was arrested for the first time in my life and spent 20min in holding till I saw the commissioner and was advised that there was a failure to appear warrent made but verified as wrong address so I was released and went to court and received probation for a year. Now I didn't realize until I received another summons that there was another ticket and another court date missed for the same reason but this court date is this month on the 23rd right before thanksgiving and this is for another failure to appear on a ticket but I'm on probation already. Do I or should I have a lawyer for this because its noted and has been tried that I didn't get the ticket nor the summons but I'm on probation so will this count against me? Will I be better off having public attorney or can I just go and speak on my own behalf?

You should get an attorney. The public defender is only for people who qualify. Many people believe they can just get the PD- that is not the case.

Whilst you could contact the court, ahead of time, and speak with the prosecutor - if one is involved with this - and (if it's the same court) they may be lenient and understanding... but under the circumstances, do you really want to chance it? I would get the attorney.