Q: Were my rights violated?
I went to court unrepresented, the judge was upset with that and locked me up. I do not recall any formal reason from him other than that. I stayed in jail for two weeks just to qualify for public representation. I wasn't given forms to file for one until the district attorney was called and informed that I hadn't received them even though I had asked several times. An attorney was assigned and the day of my court date I was not pulled for the hearing causing me to miss a seperate court hearing. The public defendant did not contact me and the jailers that did take me to the judge for my release said he saw my name for court that morning and didn't know why I wasn't pulled. None of this feels right to me. I owe so much in court and jail fees and I'm being threatened with a warrant if it is not paid. I don't believe I have been or will be fairly treated if I go back and I do not know what to do.
A: most judges are reasonable and quite tolerant in terms of giving you time to secure private counsel to represent you if you bond out of jail. I suspect the judge gave you more than one chance to show up with an attorney and you were either unable to secure one you could afford or you refused to do so and that’s why he put you back in custody. Their patience wears thin just like any human. The bottom line is at some point you likely waived your rights to trial on some allegations and accepted a deal involving tge payment fines and costs. You made an agreement to pay in a timely manner and have failed to do so. That always causes problems. It may feel Unfair, but it’s something you agreed to at some point in the past most likely.
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