A Desk Appearance Ticket is a directive or order issued by the police requiring the accused to appear in Criminal Court to answer a charge to be filed against the accused. A Desk Appearance Ticket is sometimes referred to as a DAT or as an Appearance Ticket.
Technically speaking, Desk Appearance Tickets can be issued for Violations, such as disorderly conduct, Misdemeanor offenses, such as Petit Larceny, or even certain "low level" Felonies. However, the majority of DAT's are given for violations and misdemeanors.
As a New York City and Westchester County criminal defense attorney, I have been handled numerous cases where a Desk Appearance Ticket was issued for both violations and misdemeanor offenses. Petit Larceny charges are some of the most common.
An accused receives a Desk Appearance Ticket following arrest. The DAT will typically list the charge and the date and time for the accused to appear in Court. Remember, this is an arrest, not a traffic ticket. You must appear on the date and time, preferably with your criminal defense lawyer.
At your Court appearance, the standard procedure is for the accused to be
There are instances, however, when the charges are not "ready" and the matter is adjourned for another day.
