Michelle Lee Thompson

It is illegal to knowingly fail to appear in court when you've been summoned, arrested with a court-ordered release condition, cited instead of arrested, or issued a criminal summons. Failure to appear is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 11 months 29 days in jail and a $2,500 fine. A defense exists if you had a reasonable excuse for missing the court date.

Penalty: Class A misdemeanor; 11 months 29 days; fine up to $2,500

When setting bail for someone arrested for child abuse, stalking, elderly abuse, or domestic violence crimes, the magistrate must carefully review the facts and consider the defendant's danger to others and flight risk before deciding if bail is appropriate and how much it should be.

Penalty: Violation

A court can only punish someone for contempt of court in these specific situations: (1) someone behaves disruptively in or near the courtroom and interferes with justice; (2) a court officer misbehaves in their official duties; (3) someone refuses to follow the court's orders, writs, or commands; (4) someone tampers with or interferes with court documents or proceedings; (5) someone illegally talks to jurors about the case; or (6) any other act the law specifically calls contempt. A court cannot punish for contempt in any other situation.

Penalty: Classification not specified