What can happen if a defendant fails to appear for their DWI court hearing?

If a defendant fails to appear for their DWI court hearing, an arrest warrant may be issued for that individual. This is a standard procedure in many jurisdictions, including New York, where a court appearance is mandated for seriousness in handling DWI cases. When a defendant does not attend their scheduled hearing, the court may consider this as a violation of their obligation to respond to the charges against them. Consequently, issuing an arrest warrant serves to ensure that the defendant is brought to court to address the charges, thereby upholding the integrity of the judicial process.

The other scenarios do not accurately reflect the legal outcomes associated with a failure to appear. Dropping the case automatically would undermine the legal proceedings, while simply rescheduling the hearing provides no mechanism to compel the defendant's appearance and does not reflect the severity of a DWI offense. Lastly, the idea of imposing a fine without a hearing does not align with due process, as defendants have the right to be heard in court regarding any penalties.