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Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT) in Manhattan: What Happens at 100 Centre Street

Published October 23, 2026

A Desk Appearance Ticket, or DAT, is the pink or white slip the police hand you when they arrest you but let you go the same day. It tells you to come to Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street on a set date. That date is your arraignment: the first time you stand in front of a judge on the charge.

This page covers what the ticket means, what happens when you show up, and what happens if you do not.

What a DAT actually is

A DAT is defined in Criminal Procedure Law 150.10. It is a written order to appear in court to answer a charge. It is not a summons for a minor violation, and it is not a “warning”. You were arrested. The arrest is recorded, and for most charges you were fingerprinted and photographed at the precinct before release.

The only thing the DAT changes is where you wait for arraignment. Without a DAT you would have been held, usually in Manhattan Central Booking, and arraigned within about 24 hours. With a DAT you wait at home.

Since the 2020 reforms, CPL 150.20 requires police to issue a DAT for most misdemeanors and class E felonies. The main exceptions are domestic violence cases, sex offenses, people with open warrants or a history of missing court, and people who refuse to identify themselves. If you received a DAT, your charge almost certainly falls in the misdemeanor or low-level felony range.

Reading the ticket

Look for three things:

• The return date. Under CPL 150.40 the date is generally within 20 days of the arrest.
• The charge. It is written as a section of the Penal Law, for example “PL 155.25” (petit larceny) or “PL 120.00” (assault in the third degree). That number is the fastest way to find out what you are facing.
• The court. For arrests in Manhattan it reads New York County Criminal Court, 100 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013.

Keep the ticket. You will need it at the door.

Before your date: what the DA’s office is doing

Between the arrest and the return date, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office reviews the police paperwork and decides whether to file a criminal complaint. Three things can happen:

1. They file the complaint. This is the usual outcome. Your case is on the calendar for the return date.
2. They decline to prosecute. The case ends before it starts. You should receive a notice, but call the court or check with a lawyer to confirm rather than simply not showing up.
3. They are not ready. Occasionally the complaint is not drafted by the return date. The case may not be on the calendar and you will be given a new date. Still appear on the date on your ticket unless you have written notice otherwise.

This window is also when a defense lawyer can have the most effect for the least money. Reaching the assigned assistant DA before the complaint is drafted sometimes changes what is charged, or whether anything is charged at all.

The day itself at 100 Centre Street

Arrive early. The security line at 100 Centre Street can take 20 to 40 minutes in the morning. Bring photo ID and the ticket. Phones are allowed in the building but must be off in the courtroom.

The ticket or the information desk in the lobby tells you which part (courtroom) to go to. DAT arraignments are heard in dedicated parts. Check in with the court officer at the door and wait for your name.

When your case is called:

• The judge confirms your identity and the charge is read.
• If you do not have a lawyer, one is assigned on the spot, usually from the Legal Aid Society or one of the other institutional defenders. They will speak with you briefly before the case is called.
• The prosecutor may make an offer. On many first-time misdemeanor DATs in Manhattan that offer is an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (ACD) or a plea to a non-criminal violation such as disorderly conduct.
• If you take the offer, the case can end that day. If you do not, the judge sets the next date and almost always releases you on your own recognizance (ROR) since you already showed up voluntarily.

Most people are in and out in two to four hours. Do not take a plea at arraignment just to get it over with. A plea to a misdemeanor is a criminal conviction, and the same offer is usually still available on the next date.

If you miss the date

The judge can issue a bench warrant (see missed court date and bench warrants). Under CPL 510.50, in most cases the court must wait 48 hours before actually issuing it, which is meant to give you a chance to come in voluntarily. If you missed your date:

• Go to 100 Centre Street as soon as possible, ideally within that 48-hour window, and tell the clerk in the DAT part that you are there to answer a missed date.
• If a warrant has already issued, you can still surrender voluntarily. Walking in with a lawyer is far better than being picked up on the warrant at a traffic stop or at the airport.
• Once a warrant issues you lose the benefit of the DAT: you will be held and arraigned like any other arrest, and the judge may now consider bail.

Will this show up on a background check?

Right now, yes: an open criminal case is a public record. If the case ends in dismissal or an ACD, the arrest and the case are sealed under CPL 160.50 and will not appear on a standard employment background check. If it ends in a conviction, it stays on your record subject to the sealing rules, including the Clean Slate Act.