Asked 5/12/2016- Gainesville, TX

I’m 19 years old, I live in Texas. This is my first offense EVER. I was arrested back in November with one of my friends, He was driving and i was in the passenger. The officer told us that he signaled at the wrong time then told us in the cop car that he smelt Marijuana through his vents (Even though we weren’t even smoking it when he pulled us over) Then in the police report he put that we were driving all over the road.
During my arraignment, The judge denied me a court-appointed attorney Then at my Pre-trial, He gives me a court-appointed attorney so My trial is coming up this Thursday and I’m scared out of my mind, I really don’t want to back to jail. I can’t afford it, I haven’t really talked to my attorney since my first/last meeting with her, Almost 2 months ago. Today, I called my bail bondman to check in and He told me that I don’t have to show up for court and that my attorney will be there for me. So I called my attorney and she said that I didn’t sign a waiver and that I have to go and she’s not going to be there. I’m literally sitting here not knowing what to do. I just want this to be over already.

Answer

You really need to have a sit down with your attorney. I don’t think you know what a waiver is in the context of your case, and what your next court setting is actually for. Ask your attorney “What waiver am I supposed to sign?” (I assume it is a waiver of arraignment, the reading of the formal charges against you in open court). Ask if the next setting is a trial setting or some other type of setting (do you really think that if a trial was going to held on your case on Thursday, your attorney would tell you she is not showing up?). Ask when you can go to her office and speak in depth about your case. Then discuss your options.