3 Penalties Courts Could Impose If You Skip Bail
At A Better Bail Bond, we are often asked what will if the defendant misses their court date. When you have been arrested and happen granted bail, you must appear in court on your scheduled appointed date. Failure to do so means skipping bail, which can lead to serious legal consequences.
What Can The Courts Do If You Fail To Appear?
Each state handles “failure to appear” differently, but they often come with stringent penalties. When you skip out on your bail, the courts will slap another charge on top of your other charges. In most cases, states will designate the charge as a felony.
Arrest Warrant
When you fail to appear at your scheduled court date, the court issues an arrest warrant. This warrant provides law enforcement permission to find and arrest you. The warrant stays active until one of two things happen:
- You are arrested
- You voluntarily turn yourself in
Bail Revocation and Forfeiture
Once you miss court, your bond is forfeited.
The court can revoke your bail for multiple reasons (typically not for forfeiting). Your bond can be revoked for violating any of your bail conditions.
The bail premium is never returned.
Lawsuit
A bail service also has a right to sue you for any assets you have to cover the costs that it incurs when you fail to appear in court. The service may even conduct its own search to locate you to ensure it doesn’t have a problem.
How To Handle A Missed Court Date
Most people don’t skip bail on purpose. Extenuating circumstances may cause a person to miss their appointed court date. The best thing you can do is appear at every scheduled court date to avoid any violations. If you miss a date (skipping bail), immediately turn yourself in. Make sure to keep up with your court dates. If a date changes, a court may decide that ignorance is not a good excuse.
If you are unable to make a court date or need help, talk to your attorney immediately. Some courts grants attorneys to speak on their client’s behalf.
Depending on the situation, a court may agree to reinstate a bail, with a new court date attached. It’s not unusual for a court to grant bail at a higher amount or with extra fees. Talk to your attorney about possible requests that can be made to the court.
A Better Bail Bond understands that life happens that could cause you to miss a court date. Severe penalties are associated with skipping bail but being responsible could ensure you remain free while waiting for your court date. Give us a call to help you understand the bail process and help you when you need bailing out of jail.
Bad things happen, even to good people! We can help you overcome them.
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