(Un)warranted

Our goal is to prevent 500,000 missed court dates, and their resulting warrants and jail time, over the next five years with a proven solution that’s simple yet transformational: reimagining and reforming the communications people receive about their court dates using behavioral science.

ON THIS PAGE →

The Issue

Today, people all over the country will miss an appointment; it happens to everyone. Missing an appointment is an accepted, forgivable part of life — unless, of course, you miss a court date. Missing court, even for low-level charges like traffic violations or open alcohol containers, can lead to warrants, jail, and other significant consequences. In short, missed court dates can disrupt jobs and housing, harm well-being, and “mark” individuals for the rest of their lives.

This problem is so large that more people are in jail for missing court than any other reason in areas across the United States — it accounts for one in eight bookings and 19 million nights spent in jail each year.

(Un)warranted works to break this cycle.

The Issue

A maze with various labeled sections including Transportation, Emergencies, Scarcity, Housing, Technology, Fear, Unclear Info, Mental/Behavioral, and Health, with a building in the center and ward-like pathways.

Our Solution

Helping people better understand, remember, and show up to court is a low-cost way to improve lives, save money, increase efficiency, and reduce strain across the system — all leading to fairer and more effective justice. Improved communications have already had significant impact:

↓ 125,000

fewer missed court dates
↑ $357M

in savings for governments and individuals
↓ 36%

reduction in missed court dates

Testimonials

"As a judge, I want people to get to court and avoid warrants and suspended licenses. Let's stop people from missing court dates in the first place because that is better for the court and the community. If my mechanic can send a message about my upcoming oil change, it's crazy for a court not to send a message about a court date, especially when the consequences are so serious."

— Judge Ryan Hope, State Court Athens-Clarke County, Georgia
"Our mission as sheriffs is to protect public safety, maintain secure facilities, and help reduce recidivism. Chasing and processing nonappearance warrants wastes valued resources better spent on real public safety priorities. Reminder programs are a powerful tool that keep eligible people where they belong pretrial — on the street, instead of unnecessarily clogging our jails."

— Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
"In Harris County, reminders have significantly increased court appearance rates. As a result, our criminal courts, law enforcement, and jails dedicate more focus on serious offenses-and taxpayers get the break they deserve."

— Commissioner Adrian Garcia, Harris County, Texas
"Following the introduction of text messaging reminders, the appearance rates for high-risk defendants have improved. Among our highest risk pretrial defendants who received text message reminders, appearance rates have increased by 15%."

— Chief Judge Jeffrey R. Pilkington, First Judicial District, Colorado
"It's easy for judges to issue warrants but their consequences can devastate people's lives. Making courts more accessible through text reminders allows the Court to resolve more cases by increasing appearances and also reduces the burden on people who are already facing significant challenges. It's a win-win."

— Judge Courtney Wachal, Kansas City Municipal Court, Missouri
"We get and rely on text reminders for everything from school to a dentist appointment. Court attendance is critical to the justice process. When defendants forget to appear, warrants are issued. When victims and witnesses fail to appear, cases get dismissed. Supplementing current notification methods with text reminders is a no brainer."

— State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami-Dade County, Florida
"Thousands of warrants are needlessly issued every year, creating additional strains on an already strained corrections system. Using readily available technology to send court reminders can play a critical role in breaking the preventable cycle of re-arrest, incarceration and recidivism."

— President Shawn Laughlin, American Jail Association
"When a person has a warrant solely because they forgot about their court date, a police officer's simple traffic stop becomes much more serious, complicated, and demanding than it needs to be. When reminders prevent these warrants, reminders help police."

— Past President Louis Dekmar, International Association of Chiefs of Police/
Chief of Police (Ret.), LaGrange, Georgia
"Since implementing changes to court date notifications and reminders, we have seen a significant reduction in missed appearances and last-minute rescheduling. Our team spends far less time on failures to appear, and case processing has become much more efficient. Court users appreciate the changes, and our overall compliance rates have significantly improved."

— Chief Deputy Executive Officer Kelly Sullivan, Sacramento County Superior Court, California
"In my experience, the inherent stress of being a justice involved individual often obscures the specific court date set. Court date reminders have proven critically helpful to these people — and everyone else who would be directly or indirectly impacted by their missed court appearance."

— Director James M. Retallick, Weber Public Defender Group, Weber County, Utah

Evidence-based designs that work.

Want more proven tips?

Subscribe to our newsletter

Resources

Publications

NYC Summons Redesign

Toolkit/Guide

No-Show No More: Rethinking Court Appearance and Reminders

Webinar

The Essential Guide to Court Reminder Programs

Toolkit/Guide

Court Reminders Checklist

Toolkit/Guide

Executive Summary: The Essential Guide to Court Reminders

Toolkit/Guide

Court Reminder Systems Improve Justice

Policy Brief & Fact Sheet

Improving Traffic-Ticket Outcomes

Project Brief

Stamping Out Missed Court Dates

Project Brief

Showing Up: Strategies to Increase Court Attendance and Limit Pretrial Detention

Webinar

National Guide to Improving Court Appearances

Toolkit/Guide

Implementing Effective Communications to Improve Court Appearance Rates

Policy Brief & Fact Sheet

Low-Cost Ways to Increase Court Appearances

Webinar

Navigating the Real-Life Challenges of Appearing in Court

Report

Reducing Fines and Fees for Low-Income Drivers

Increasing Harris County Court Appearances by Adapting Tested Solutions

Behavioral Nudges Reduce Failure to Appear in Court

Journal Article

Using Behavioral Science to Improve Criminal Justice Outcomes

Report

Poverty Interrupted

American Bar Endowment
Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR)
Alameda County, CA
American Civil Liberties Union
Americans for Prosperity
Arnold Ventures
Ballmer Group
Buckeye Institute
Californians for Safety and Justice
Citizens for Effective Courts
City of Atlanta, GA
City of Dallas, TX
City of New York
City of Riverdale, GA
City of Scottsdale, AZ
Civil Rights Corps
Cobb County, GA
Conservatives for Criminal Justice Reform

Partnering with Us

(Un)warranted is a hub of expertise that creates positive change — bringing our proven experience to reduce nonappearance and its harmful consequences. We do so by making court date communications clearer and easier to act on, helping set up effective reminder programs, and catalyzing evidence-based policy.

Our work is actively informed by system actors, people directly impacted, and organizations serving local communities. It is also not possible without the financial support of individuals and organizations who deeply believe in the ways (Un)warranted is striving for change. We work together with advocates, community and justice organizations, funders, government (courts, district attorneys and public defenders, law enforcement, and others), and researchers, including:

Partners