Is it possible I was convicted w/o knowing?

[newphil]

In March of '07 I was arrested for tresspassing ( I was a little too drunk at a club and said some mean things to the bouncer. Conveniently there was a cop car waiting outside for the first drunk of the night and I was thrown in!) I was released the next morning on bail and got representation. I paid a local Clearwater attorney to represent me.

Not being from the area (From PA) it was hard to keep up with the case which was moving very slowly. The last I heard from my attorney was that the DA wasn't sure whether they were going to charge me.

As the weeks turned into months I got lost in my work and forgot about the case. I was never again contacted by my attorney or from the state. Recently I had to get my fingerprints for a new job and something has come up in the invetigation ( they won't tell me).

Shouldn't I have heard from either the state or my attorney if they had decided to charge me (The state had my phone # and address)? Might I have been convicted in abstentia w/o knowing it?

Thanks,
Quite Concerned

 

[mightymoose]

You won't have a conviction, but you might have a warrant for your arrest. You need to get in touch with the county where you were arrested, contact the District Attorney's office, and see what they will do for you.

 

[newphil]

Ugh..not what I wanted to hear. Wouldn't the state have had some sort of an obligation to notify me if they were going to press charges?

 

[mightymoose]

No. It sounds like you were very dependent upon your attorney to handle the matter and just lost touch as time went on.... however the responsibility to follow things through is yours. You are the one that signed the promise to appear in court when you were released from jail.

 

[bacon123]

Most courts have internet access to the court database. Try logging on and enter your name to see if you have a warrant. Also, never assume anything with the legal system, especially with attorneys. It is good practice to always check on things for your self.