544.665. Failure to appear, penalty.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

544.665. Failure to appear, penalty.

Failure to appear, penalty.

544.665. 1. In addition to the forfeiture of any security which wasgiven or pledged for a person's release, any person who, having beenreleased upon a recognizance or bond pursuant to any other provisions oflaw while pending preliminary hearing, trial, sentencing, appeal, probationor parole revocation, or any other stage of a criminal matter against himor her, knowingly fails to appear before any court or judicial officer asrequired shall be guilty of the crime of failure to appear.

2. Failure to appear is:

(1) A class D felony if the criminal matter for which the person wasreleased included a felony;

(2) A class A misdemeanor if the criminal matter for which the personwas released includes a misdemeanor or misdemeanors but no felony orfelonies;

(3) An infraction if the criminal matter for which the person wasreleased includes only an infraction or infractions;

(4) An infraction if the criminal matter for which the person wasreleased includes only the violation of a municipal ordinance, providedthat the sentence imposed shall not exceed the maximum fine which could beimposed for the municipal ordinance for which the accused was arrested.

3. Nothing in sections 544.040 to 544.665 shall prevent the exerciseby any court of its power to punish for contempt.