Can you appear at a court date on my behalf?

Yes, for misdemeanors. When you hire an attorney, one of the major benefits is their ability to make appearances on your behalf so you don’t have to travel, miss work, or miss school.

I will happily appear on your behalf to engage in the sort of negotiations that do not necessarily require personal presence, and I will report back any new developments on your case.

Depending on the stage of the case, I may ask you to have a phone handy in case some issue comes up that I need to discuss with you before proceeding.

Conversely, felony cases require the defendant’s personal presence and an attorney may not appear on behalf of their client except in rare circumstances.