Missed Court in Oregon: What Happens Next

What Oregon law says can follow a missed court date: whether it is a separate crime, the driver’s license rule for traffic cases, what happens to bail, and the court’s own next steps. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.

What kind of case was the court date for?
How was the person released before the date?

Pick the state, the kind of case and how the person was released to see what that state’s law says.

Oregon failure to appear law

In Oregon, missing a required court date after release can be charged as its own crime. The statute grades it by the kind of case:

  • Released on a felony charge: Class C felony. Knowingly failing to appear after release on a felony charge is failure to appear in the first degree, a Class C felony. (ORS 162.205)
    Failure to appear in the first degree is a Class C felony.
  • Released on a misdemeanor charge: Class A misdemeanor. Knowingly failing to appear after release on a misdemeanor charge is failure to appear in the second degree, a Class A misdemeanor. (ORS 162.195)
    Failure to appear in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor.

The statute’s mental-state words are “knowingly”, so the reason the date was missed can matter.

When a date is missed, the court’s order is called a arrest warrant (ORS 135.280(1)).

Driver’s license after a missed traffic date in Oregon

If a defendant charged with a traffic crime misses a required appearance, the court must notify the DMV to suspend for failure to appear. (ORS 809.220)

Shall issue notice to the Department of Transportation to suspend for failure to appear if the defendant is charged with a traffic crime or with a violation of ORS 471.430 or 475C.317.

Bail and bonds after a missed date in Oregon

If within 30 days after the forfeiture the defendant does not appear or show that appearing was impossible and not the defendant's fault, the court enters judgment for the state. (ORS 135.280(3))

Window to ask the court to set the forfeiture aside: 30 days after the forfeiture is declared.

To compare what posting bail costs in Oregon, see the Oregon bail bond calculator.

How to deal with a missed date in Oregon

Only the court that set the date can recall a warrant or give a new date. Contact that court’s clerk, or the lawyer or public defender on the case, who can ask the court to recall or quash the warrant.

What this page does not do

  • It does not check whether a warrant was issued in any case or whether anyone will be arrested.
  • Whether a separate failure-to-appear charge is filed is the prosecutor’s decision; what happens to bail is the court’s.
  • It collects nothing; your choices stay in your browser.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is failure to appear a crime in Oregon?

Yes. Released on a felony charge: Class C felony under ORS 162.205; Released on a misdemeanor charge: Class A misdemeanor under ORS 162.195.

Is missing court a felony in Oregon?

In some cases. released on a felony charge: Class C felony under ORS 162.205. Otherwise: released on a misdemeanor charge: Class A misdemeanor under ORS 162.195.

Will Oregon suspend my license for missing a traffic court date?

If a defendant charged with a traffic crime misses a required appearance, the court must notify the DMV to suspend for failure to appear. The rule is in ORS 809.220.

Sources

Checked against the sources above on October 20, 2026.

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