📌 What You’ll Learn:

• When your lawyer can act without you being there

• When personal attendance is mandatory

• How to request an excuse from court

• What happens if you don’t show up without an excuse

👨‍⚖️ When Can a Lawyer Represent a Defendant Without Their Presence?

In most procedural steps, your lawyer can act for you if:

• your personal presence isn’t legally required

• you’ve signed a power of attorney

• you’ve submitted an excuse that was accepted by the court

Examples where your presence is not required:

• reviewing case files

• attending non-public hearings

• handling simple procedural matters

❌ When Must the Defendant Be Present?

• Your own interrogation / questioning

• Main trial hearing (in most cases)

• Delivery of the verdict (in some cases)

• Key legal decisions (like pleading guilty)

There are exceptions – in minor offences, courts may allow trial in absentia.

📬 How to Excuse Yourself from Court

You must:

1. send your excuse in advance (ideally by data box or registered mail)

2. explain the reason (e.g., medical certificate)

3. request postponement

⚠️ If you fail to appear without an excuse, the court may:

• order police escort (warrant)

• impose a fine

• proceed in your absence (if allowed by law)

📌 Real Case Example

A client was abroad and missed their court date. The lawyer appeared and requested a postponement.
Since it was a less serious offence and the excuse was valid, the court granted the delay.
Without proper notice, the outcome could have been very different.