Last Updated on: 12th October 2023, 07:55 pm

Long Island Desk Appearance Ticket Lawyer

If you’ve received a desk appearance ticket, then you need to make sure you handle it correctly to avoid penalties. Here’s what you need to know about desk appearance tickets and how we can help you handle yours.

How Desk Appearance Tickets Work

For all intents and purposes, a desk appearance ticket is the same as being arrested, with one convenient difference – you don’t need to spend any time in jail before your arraignment.

Normally, if you were arrested, you would be taken to jail until you could see a judge. A desk appearance ticket still shows up as an arrest on your record, but the police officer sends you the ticket requiring you to show up for arraignment instead of taking you to jail.

When you receive a desk appearance ticket, it means the police officer who sent it to you suspects you of a minor crime and does not see you as a flight risk. Police officers in Long Island can send desk appearance tickets for violations, misdemeanors and class E felonies.

You can discuss your desk appearance ticket with one of our qualified Long Island lawyers, who will explain what you’re being charged with, recommend how you should handle the situation and can also represent you when you go to court.

Common Charges That Could Result in a Desk Appearance Ticket

What kind of charges could the police send out a desk appearance ticket for? Any charges that fit into the aforementioned categories above could lead to a desk appearance ticket instead of an arrest. There are a few common charges where the police often issue these tickets instead of arresting you.

These crimes can include assault, grand larceny if the property value of the alleged stolen goods is anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000, petit larceny, property damage and possession of controlled substances. Marijuana possession often results in a desk appearance ticket, while possession of harder drugs may or may not.

It’s important to remember that desk appearance tickets are entirely at the discretion of the police. An officer could decide to arrest you instead of sending a ticket, even for minor crimes. This is often what happens if you already have a criminal record.

One of our Long Island desk appearance ticket lawyers can go over your charge with you to help set up your defense.

Potential Penalties of Long Island Desk Appearance Tickets

The penalty for failing to show up after you’ve received a desk appearance ticket is simple enough – the court will issue a warrant for your arrest. Once you’re arrested, you’ll need to wait in jail until you can see a judge. Considering the benefit of a desk appearance ticket is that it keeps you out of jail before you go to court, it’s in your best interest to show up to court when summoned.

Other potential penalties will depend on the crime you’re being charged with. Here’s what you can expect in terms of penalties for violations, misdemeanors and class E felonies.

Violations are minor offenses, such as trespassing and disorderly conduct. The maximum punishment is 15 days in jail, although most offenders won’t end up doing any jailtime.

There are three different types of misdemeanors, which are class A, class B and unclassified. With a class A misdemeanor, the maximum punishment is one year of jailtime or three years of probation, along with a fine of $1,000, at most, or double the amount you gained from the offense. With a class B misdemeanor, the maximum punishment is three months jailtime or probation for a year, along with a $500 fine or, again, double what you gained from the crime. For an unclassified misdemeanor, punishment could be jailtime ranging from 16 days to one year.

Class E felonies, both violent and nonviolent, carry a maximum punishment of four years in prison, or you may have probation instead of a prison sentence. Remember that felony convictions also affect you in other ways, as you won’t be able to vote, you’ll be ineligible for welfare benefits and you won’t be allowed to own or purchase firearms.

Handling Your Desk Appearance Ticket

The first thing you should do if you’ve received a desk appearance ticket is contact our office to talk to an experienced lawyer about your case. Having a lawyer to represent you could help in getting the charges dismissed or getting a favorable plea deal, reducing your punishment.

Whether you want to fight the charges in court or you want to negotiate a plea with the prosecutor, a lawyer will be invaluable.