People Are Jailed for Missed Court Dates. Simple Reminders Can Prevent This.

Court date reminders save time and money and help keep people out of jail. It’s time for every state to use them.

Our lives are full of important appointments: doctor visits, job interviews, classes, and, for many, court dates. Keeping track of these appointments can be difficult. That’s why businesses and medical offices send text or email reminders to ensure people show up – saving everyone time and money.  

When someone misses a dentist appointment, they may need to pay a fee, but will be able to reschedule without further consequences. For someone in the pretrial system, the stakes are far higher. Just one missed court appearance can cost them their freedom. 

Court notification systems are critical to a well functioning pretrial system.

That is why court notification systems, which send people alerts about their upcoming court dates, are critical to a well functioning pretrial system. 

Every year, over half a million people across the country are booked into jail for missing a court appearance. Yet most people who miss court are not intentionally evading prosecution. When missed appearances occur, they are often the result of issues reminders are designed to address: forgetting a date, confusion about scheduling, or not receiving timely updates when hearings change. It’s not unusual for courts to reschedule hearings or change courtroom assignments, which can make dates harder to track. Other challenges, including work conflicts, childcare needs, or transportation issues, can also contribute – but these are often easier to manage when people have clear advance notice and enough time to prepare. Court notifications can help resolve these challenges by ensuring people can adequately plan ahead for their court date. 

Every year, over half a million people across the country are booked into jail for missing a court appearance.

Throughout the pretrial process, defendants must attend countless hearings – some of which may only last a few minutes. In practice, each appearance can require hours of preparation and disruption: taking time off work, arranging childcare, securing transportation, and waiting at the courthouse. For people who are still legally presumed innocent, these repeated obligations can mean lost wages, financial strain, and even the risk of losing a job if absences add up. Missing just one hearing can then trigger consequences that harm individuals, communities, and the entire court system: 

• Courts may issue fines or bench warrants;
• People may be detained, which can disrupt employment, housing, health, and family stability;
• Courts and law enforcement spend additional time and resources rescheduling hearings and processing warrants; and
• Taxpayers foot the bill for additional judicial and jail costs. 

Navigating the pretrial system can be challenging for anybody. Clear communication tools can reduce this burden.

For years, jurisdictions across the country have been implementing court notification systems that send text, email, or phone reminders to people with upcoming court dates. These notifications identify the time and date of the appearance, and sometimes include updates on schedule changes, courtroom assignments, instructions for rescheduling, and information about what happens if someone does not appear. Evidence shows that these systems consistently increase court appearance rates, save taxpayer dollars, and create a more effective and efficient criminal legal system:   

• Hennepin County, Minnesota’s District Court notification system uses text messages and emails to remind defendants of upcoming court dates. The system began in 2017 and has saved the county over $3 million annually by reducing court non-appearance rates by 35%.
• New York City delivers email and text reminders for upcoming court dates. The system saved $650,000 over three years and reduced court non-appearance rates by 26%. 
• The Oklahoma Supreme Court implemented a statewide court notification system in 2025 to send text message reminders 48 hours before scheduled appearances for defendants that opt-in to the program. Currently, lawmakers are considering a bill – SB 1381 – that would increase participation by requiring public defenders to help their clients sign up for reminders. 
• The Bail Project provides court notifications to all clients. Since 2017, we have paid bail for over 36,000 people who have returned to over 90% of their court dates, lending crucial evidence that individuals will return to court without any of their own money on the line.

With hundreds of thousands of people in jail for as little as a missed court date, this is an issue we can no longer wait to address. And yet, only 18 states and D.C. currently have statewide court reminder programs. Providing clear reminders is commonsense policy that is in everyone’s best interest. It saves taxpayer dollars, moves cases through the system more quickly, and helps defendants avoid unnecessary detention. It’s time that every state makes court reminder systems a standard part of its justice system.