Sharon Noble fails to appear; Lake Forest Park court sets July 14 hearing

Sharon Noble did not appear for a July 2 readiness calendar in Lake Forest Park Municipal Court; the city asked the court to issue a $3,000 bench warrant and note a failure to appear, and the court instead set a new in-person date of July 14 at 9 a.m.

The city prosecutor told the court the defendant missed the scheduled appearance and asked for a bench warrant "in the amount of $3,000 and that the failure to appear be noted." Defense counsel Kathy Ebert said Noble had medical issues and childcare responsibilities and that Noble had consented to wait for time for trial out; later counsel said Noble was unable to log in because her phone screen was cracked.

The court did not immediately issue a bench warrant. The judge observed that the defendant had been expected in court and said the July 14 hearing would be in person and that "she is not to — we're not gonna have this situation again, so she'll need to come to court." The judge ordered notice to the most recent address and asked defense counsel to relay the new date to Noble.

Counsel for the city said the case had been expected to resolve that day and that the city would proceed to request a bench warrant if necessary. Defense counsel indicated permission to waive speedy-trial time for a new date; the judge noted a potential finding of failure to appear (FTA) in the record because the matter had been set for trial and the defendant did not appear.

The court directed that notice be sent to Noble's updated address and relied on defense counsel to contact her; the court warned the matter to be in person on July 14. The municipal court clerk will send written notice of the new date.