Judge Seamus Hughes said the situation that people were not turning up for their court cases was “getting out of hand.”
And he warned that he plans to clamp down on people who are “unlawfully at large” after bench warrants were issued for their arrests.
Judge Hughes told Letterkenny District Court that he had enough of people ignoring the law for whatever reason.
“This is a situation which is simply getting out of hand. I think I’m right in saying that there are more than 700 bench warrants in operation across Donegal.
“That is a literal translation and not a fact.
“But whatever the situation is, it is not acceptable and I will be coming down heavy on people in the New Year.
“There are too many people not turning up. Those who do not turn up are likely to have their liberty taken away from them,” he said.