Purpose of Bail
Comprehending the purpose of bail will help you to understand why skipping court is such a serious offense. When you’re charged with a crime and placed in jail, your bail is the amount of money that you or a loved one can pay to get you out of jail until your court date. Your family member will pay the bail bond agent a certain percentage of the bail cost. The bail bond agent pays the full amount under the agreement that you will show up to all scheduled court dates.
Consequences of Skipping Bail
Skipping bail, or jumping bail means that you fail to appear at one of your scheduled court dates. There are consequences for skipping bail.
- A warrant can be issued for your arrest.
- Your driver’s license can be suspended.
- You can be ineligible to be bailed out of jail in the future.
- You will be charged with additional offenses, which can include failure to appear in court or contempt of court.
- The amount of your bond can be increased, whether or not you’ve already posted bail.
Added Charges
Not only does skipping bail not eliminate any prior charges, but it will also most likely add at least one additional charge to your case because you did not appear. Certain judges might even issue a contempt of court ruling as well. You will be adding to your legal trouble directly if you chose to skip bail, not just prolong the case. Whatever you think about the nature of the criminal justice system, there really are no situations in which avoiding court will be the best option. If you’re found guilty of these charges, you can face additional fines and jail time.
No Future Bail
Once you are found and returned to jail, you can almost always forget about being allowed bail this time. Courts hardly ever allow bail to someone who faces a failure to appear charge as part of their case. If you happen to be arrested again later in your life on unrelated charges, you probably will not get bail assigned to you even if the charges are relatively minor – your previous failure to appear charge will remain on your record and the court will see it. They will almost certainly denying you bail as a result.
Reinstatement of Bail
If a person skips bail and turns themself in or is arrested for skipping bail, the court may reinstate bail. You must provide a good reason for skipping bail in order to receive reinstatement. You will want an attorney to help resolve this issue satisfactorily. If bail is reinstated, you will be given a new court date and the court agrees to return bail money if the defendant appears in court.
Contact Delta Bail Bonds
If you find yourself or a loved one being arrested, make sure you contact our bail bond office as quickly as possible. Delta Bail Bonds is available 24/7 to bail you out when you need it. You do not have to wait until business hours to call us. Our experienced bail bondsmen are dedicated to getting you out of jail and back to your life as soon as possible after an arrest. If you’re unable to contact us yourself, call a friend or relative and ask them to do it for you.