Do I Have to Attend Every Court Date in Ireland? (Drink Driving Case Guide)

Being there matters

Day 3 of 10 – Facing Court in Ireland: What You Need to Know

This is part of a 10-day series answering the most common fears people have about facing court in Ireland—particularly for drink driving and road traffic cases. If you’ve been arrested, or someone close to you has, you’re in the right place.

You’re thinking: “I’ve hired a solicitor, so I probably don’t need to be there every time, right?”

Wrong. Or at least—very risky.

Unless a judge has excused your attendance or you’re too sick to appear, you’re expected to show up. It’s not a suggestion.

And while it’s possible to be excused, the better strategy is to be there every single time your name is called.

"The judge went though the court file on her desk.

She pointed to my client and angrily note that

“a bench warrant had issued” for his arrest

due to a non-appearance at an earlier sitting"

Why? Because judges notice.

Court is about perception as much as procedure.

When you show up, they register that. When you don’t, they remember that too.

I’ve seen countless warrants issued without hesitation for people who failed to appear—some with reasonable excuses, most without.

Once it’s issued, it’s on your Garda file, and worse: the judge on your trial date may be starting with the assumption that you don’t respect the process.

In one case from a few years ago we were seeking a dismissal of the prosecution case due to lack of disclosure. The judge was very hesitant to do so and went though the court file on her desk.

She pointed to my client and angrily note that “a bench warrant had issued” for his arrest due to a non-appearance at an earlier sitting.

We barely succeeded in getting the case struck out.   

So yes, turning up matters. When you do it establishes in the judge’s mind that you care about the process and are showing respect.

Not turning up can sometimes lead to the opposite opinion of you.

And if the goal is to avoid conviction—to protect your licence, your job, your record—why start off on the wrong foot?

In the next piece, I’ll deal with something clients ask all the time but are afraid to say out loud: “If I plead guilty or lose my case, does that mean I’ll have a criminal record?”