Can i get arrested if i dont show up in court???

Question

A bank is suing me for $ 3.340.69. My car was repossessed on Dec/2006. They have sent a Summons before and didnt show up. Nothing has happened. I ve just got a new Summons with a new date and i dont want to show up again. Do you think i will be arrested??? Are they gonna give up??? What Should I do??? Please, help me! Tx

Answer 1

NOPE you will just loose the case because you did not show up. Then the collection agency will come after you with garnishments and other things like liens. If you do show up then you have to file an answer and pay a fee. (note filing an answer means that you did show up.) You don't have to actually be there for the first date. The other thing is that you need to be talking to these people to work something out. If you try to hide or something else then they just keep on.

The only time that a warrant is issued is if someone is not showing up for criminal court. There are some exceptions but this is a civil matter.

Answer 2

Jeez. Six answers, and only one who knew anything about what they were talking about. Good lesson for folks who get their legal advice from a group.

(Hint: It's the guy who knew you don't get arrested for blowing off a civil suit.)

My mistake. Nine answers, and only two who weren't just guessing and wrong.

Answer 3

Just go or your punishment will be worse.  Either way you will have to face up to it.  Take someone with you.  Go to court before you turn this crime into a felony.  And that will haunt you forever.

Answer 4

Yeah. DAH

Answer 5

Yes, the judge can issue a bench warrant for your arrest. Why not "man up" and face your responsibilities.

Answer 6

Nothing has happened YET. They have a tendency to sandbag you, i.e. pull you over when you have your grandmother in the car, taking her to the doctor. Or maybe you have your very square fiance in the car. They pull you over, arrest you on the bench warrent and embarrass you in front of someone you'd rather hadn't seen that happen. Happens every time. But not to me, because I pay my debts and stay out of trouble. But when I used to get in trouble, I showed up. Except that one time over twenty years ago when they arrested me for soliciting. I moved 100 miles away and have stayed out of trouble ever since. Best wishes.

Answer 7

The bank isn't going to give up. If you refuse to go to court they can issue a "failure to appear warrent". They can arrest you and take you to jail.

  What should you do? Go to court !

Answer 8

You do realize that if you don't go to court for a lawsuit, they win automatically and can garnish your wages/seize your assets to pay it off right?

No, you do not get arrested if you fail to show up in court for a lawsuit, unless the summons specifically says it will be a charge of contempt of court or failure to appear if you don't show.  But not showing up to court for a lawsuit means they get a default judgment.

It's time to act like an adult.  Just go to court and get this worked out.  You can't run away from your problems and just expect them to go away.  They will never just give up.

Answer 9

Show up!!! You have  a lot to lose if you don't. It isn;t what you want or don't want to do, it's what you HAVE to do.

Show up, or  the  next knock on your door might be the sheriff.

Answer 10

h**l yeah, they will put a warrant out for your arest

Answer 11

Uh yeah!! When you deal with the courts, those people do not play games at all!! When they ask you to show up for court, just do it!!

Answer 12

In my court, the judge will issue a bench warrant and set the bond amount in the amount you owe so it would cost you the $3,340.69 to get out of jail!!!

Answer 13

please dont listen to these idiots, you are involved in a civil matter they are not going to arrest you because you owe somebody money this is not england and we do not have debtors prison, what is going to happen if you dont show up is they are going to win the case by default and they will probably file a document and start garnishing your wages, if you had a criminal or traffic issue they will send the bench warrant out, not a civil case, but they are not going to just give up because there is money involved and they hire people (i.e. lawyers, bill collectors, etc.) to get that money back

Answer 14

You might ck with a lawyer.  All they can do is sue you and it will go on your record if you do not pay.  They do have your car which is what they wanted in the first place.

They can resell it and recover most of their money.

Answer 15

I am really sorry that you lost your car. Usually, if you cannot pay the notes, then, they do a lien or come pick up the car and sell it. You need to show up in court even though this is depressing. Explain why you cannot pay the notes. The court hears these cases all the time. They will understand. You will just have to deal with the loss of your car. It will stay on your credit record. Just explain that you were ill and lost your job. I am sorry that you have to suffer through all this. Good Luck...

Answer 16

it's called a bench warrant, honey.Look it up

You can also be found guilty in abscentia...so show up

Yes you can be arrested.