Inquiry: I missed court about 10 years ago because i thought it wouldn’t matter if I went or not, I was gulity of driving with a suspended license. Court went ahead without me and I was guilty and fined to the maximum 6500$. Can I get this fine reduced some how without going to court or hiring a lawyer which would only cost me more money.
Response: Not attending a court date unfortunately leaves you without anyone to speak to your interests at court and at jeopardy of just such a situation as you describe. Given the age of the conviction there is unlikely anything we could do at this point. The standard appeal filing period is 30 days from the date of conviction. Anything beyond that involved a separate application to the Court to have an extension of time to appeal. You could always go to a local Court Clerk and ask if they have any specific recommendations, but 10 years after your conviction likely leaves you with few options.