Sebring, FL Criminal Defense Law Firms & Lawyers

Service upon the girlfriend, with knowing only what have written, will probably be enough, but she does not live there. It has to be someone over the age of 15 who lives there. You need to get an attorney, because if you do nothing, no one will ever know that she does not live there. Another requirement with a subpoena is that they must either give you a check for gas mileage, or deposit it with the clerk so that you can get the mileage. It appears that because it was a subpoena, not a summons, that you are merely a witness in the case. So, you show up at the time and place.

At arraignments the defendant enters a "guilty" or "not guilty" plea and the case is set for a pre-trial conference if not guilty entered.  If guilty, then a time for sentencing is set - depends if a juvenile or an adult, what that process is.

Unfortunately you really have only two choices. One, you can hire an attorney to take you into court. This is by far the best option and the safest for you in your desire not to go back to jail. The court will see how you have taken the matter very seriously by hiring the attorney and will also see that you are sincere in your promise to reappear for all court appearances since not many people would hire an attorney and then flee. However, it sounds like you are struggling and may not have the money to hire a private lawyer. The 2nd option is to turn yourself into the court and ask for court appointed counsel. The risk here is that you don't get the attorney until after you appear at court and the judge may hold you once again. You would certainly need a doctor's letter explaining that you were medically unfit to go to court. That would help tremendously, regardless of who represents you. There is a 3rd option I suppose. But it is really not an option and that is to do nothing. This is a horrible choice in that the more time that goes by before you deal with this, the more angry the court will be and the more harsh they may be in sentencing you.