REMINDER: A Simple Text Can Improve Court Appearance and Efficiency
The justice process is not isolated to the courtroom. The pretrial period can be a fraught time for those with obstacles to the transportation, childcare, and other resources they might need to attend their court date. Logistical barriers are a common reason that people miss court, and only multiply when individuals—including many who don’t regularly use calendars for their jobs—forget their upcoming date. Each year, millions of people miss their assigned court date and are subject to the penalties that follow a “failure to appear” (FTA). A simple reminder system like those used for doctor and hair stylist appointments can prevent a cascade of fines, fees, and even incarceration for individuals with a court date on the horizon.
The cost of failure to appear rates cannot be understated. Forty-eight states and Washington D.C. have criminal penalties and fines that accompany a missed court date. Often, those who fail to appear are called upon for nonviolent offenses, like traffic violations. Such penalties can exacerbate a cycle of unpaid fees and even incarceration. The court system is not exempt from these costs—time, labor, and ultimately, taxpayer dollars are drained when the justice process is prolonged. Ideas42, a nonprofit specializing in data-based advocacy, quantified that, on average, a single missed court date carries a shocking $2,850 price tag: $1,496 in government costs combined with $1,354 personal costs. The burden of such costly oversight falls the hardest upon taxpayers and those within the justice system, who are often already financially strained.
Court reminders are a data-backed step to reducing FTA rates. A meta-analysis published in 2022 concluded empirically that court date reminders are an effective measure in saving litigants and courtrooms from the costs of missed court dates. A series of text messages or phone calls in advance can remind people of their date and even encourage them to connect with resources that make attendance possible. While forgetfulness may not be the root cause of a missed court date, the practical and psychological effect of such a system is to emphasize both the importance and accessibility of being present. Courtrooms are increasingly using technology to create a more navigable and transparent judicial process. The incorporation of technology need not be daunting or cost prohibitive, and reminders are a simple and affordable solution to a common problem.
Courts eager to compound the positive effects of a reminder system can pursue automatic enrollment. A 2023 study conducted in Illinois found that too often, individuals are unaware that reminder programs exist. Furthermore, 90% of people surveyed would prefer to be automatically enrolled in a reminder system. Reducing the number of steps and forms involved in the pretrial process creates additional bandwidth for all involved.
The majority of the cases in the United States are determined in state and local courts, and increasing their efficiency and effectiveness is of the greatest importance. When people attend their court date, whether it be for a nonviolent traffic infraction or something more severe, they save themselves from the penalties that accompany FTA while helping to clear the backlog of cases that overwhelm court systems. Louisiana courts not already leveraging this simple, technology-based solution would be wise to do so, not only for the benefit of individuals involved, but in an effort to be fiscally responsible, efficient, and achieve better outcomes for their communities.
