Many people in Virginia miss court dates not because they intend to, but due to forgetfulness or confusion about the process. Currently, Virginia requires defendants to opt in for hearing reminders through a multi-step process that can be difficult to navigate. As a result, very few people enroll in the system; similar systems in other states have seen participation rates as low as 2 percent.
Two bills, SB475 and HB885, aim to modernize how Virginia courts notify individuals of upcoming hearings. The proposed changes would allow courts to use contact information collected at arrest or citation to send automated reminders about court dates and the consequences of missing them. According to research cited by supporters, such automated reminder systems have reduced failure-to-appear (FTA) rates by 20 to 40 percent in various jurisdictions. In some cases, reductions reached up to 60 percent.
For example, Colorado implemented an automated text reminder program in 2022 and saw significant increases in enrollment compared with its previous opt-in system. More details on Colorado’s program are available at https://www.coloradojudicial.gov/text-reminder.
Automated reminders are now common practice across many industries for appointments like dental visits or restaurant reservations. However, missing a court date carries much greater consequences than missing a typical appointment. Each FTA costs the justice system approximately $1,496 due to related disruptions such as arrests and detentions.
In Virginia alone, about 11,000 people are formally charged with FTA each year—a figure that does not include those who face bench warrants or license suspensions instead of formal charges. Supporters estimate that adopting automated reminders could help between 2,200 and 4,400 more Virginians appear for their scheduled court dates annually.
Evidence from other states supports these projections. A pilot program using text message reminders in New York City reduced criminal court FTAs by 26 percent. Hennepin County in Minnesota saw a 25 percent drop in bench warrants for nonappearance after implementing similar measures; Jefferson County in Colorado reported a reduction of FTAs by 34 percent; and a California study found that court reminders led to a 20 percent decrease in pretrial incarceration rates.
States including Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Texas have adopted automated reminder systems using existing scheduling technology or low-cost vendors. These programs generally cost only a fraction of a dollar per case while generating savings by reducing missed appearances and related expenses.
Concerns have been raised about whether these systems might shift responsibility away from defendants themselves. Proponents argue this is not the case: “Automated court reminders do not replace personal responsibility; rather, they support it,” one statement reads. “Studies consistently show these reminders reduce FTA rates by nearly a third (or more). That means more people showing up, engaging with the legal process, and resolving their cases.”
The legislation also addresses privacy concerns by prohibiting law enforcement agencies from using phone numbers collected for reminders for any investigative purposes beyond administrative notifications.
Virginia has already started updating its notification capabilities through the Case Alert Subscription System (CASS), which provides email and text updates on case events. Expanding CASS into an automated reminder system would require further investment but builds on existing infrastructure.
Implementation costs vary depending on vendor selection and required upgrades; other states report spending between $35,000 and $600,000 for full deployment—including software improvements and service contracts like eCourtDate—while ongoing operational costs remain low at under $1 per case.
