After being released from jail on bail, there are specific requirements that you will be expected to follow.
One of these requirements is to show up in court on the assigned date and time. If you fail to make your designated appearance, this is called 'bail jumping' or 'bail skipping.'
Bail jumping is a serious offense so you shouldn't decide to skip court without a valid excuse.
In this article, we will discuss the consequences of bail jumping and what you should do if you need to change your court date.
What is bail?
Before we discuss the impact of skipping bail, it is important that you know what bail is.
To put it simply, bail is the temporary release of someone who is waiting to attend a court hearing. Bail is granted on the condition that the defendant pays a set amount of money to the court.
When you pay bail, the court will require will you to attend all hearings related to the charges that landed you behind bars in the first place.
It's important to note that bail doesn't eliminate any of the charges that have been filed against you. You may have gained a little bit of freedom but you still need to appear in court to face up to the crimes of which you have been charged.
What is the more affordable way to pay bail?
Bail can be expensive so if you or your family members can't afford to pay it, you may have to stay in jail before your court hearing.
However, there are alternatives. You can put up some of your valuable assets as collateral if they are worth 150% of the bail amount. Your family members can also do the same.
But the most affordable option is to use the services of a bail bondsman. They will pay the bond on your behalf but you will need to pay them a percentage of the full amount. This is usually 10% but you may qualify for a discount. More information can be found in our article on bail bond pricing.
Is Bail jumping a criminal offense?
Yes, if you jump bail (or bail skip), you will be issued with an arrest warrant. Bail jumping will be considered a separate offense from the crime you were previously charged with, so you might incur a higher financial penalty or face additional jail time.
If you have a good reason for not appearing in court on the designated date, you may be able to avoid another criminal charge.
Not many reasons will suffice but if, for example, you didn't know about the court appearance, perhaps because you didn't receive notice of the hearing, you may be able to avoid additional criminal charges.
If you fail to appear because of other circumstances outside of your control, such as a serious illness or hospitalization, you might also have a valid excuse for missing your trial.
Other valid excuses for not appearing in court can include:
- A previously scheduled court appearance
- A death in the family
- A sick child
- A hurricane
- An automobile accident
Ultimately, it will depend on the judge. But if your excuse is your car broke down or you forgot where the courtroom was, you are unlikely to be given a lot of grace by the judge presiding over your case. As such, make sure you know where the courtroom is before the day of your hearing, and if your car does break down, do all in your power to get another ride before an arrest warrant is served.
If you do skip bail, your defense team will work with you to fight your case if there is a chance the judge might be lenient with you. But don't let the support of your legal team be a reason to skip bail intentionally as the prosecution will be working against you to disprove your argument.
What are the consequences of Bail jumping?
You will face additional criminal charges if you skip bail which, as we have already stated, could lead to a higher financial penalty or additional jail time.
The following consequences may also occur.
- If you or your family members used valuable assets as collateral to secure your bond, you might lose these if the court decides to sell them.
- The judge is likely to order a warrant for your arrest. When this happens, a bond agent will come for you and bring you to jail following your arrest.
- You will forfeit your bond.
- Your pretrial release might be revoked, meaning you will have to await trial from behind bars.
- You will likely be considered guilty of the crime that you were originally arrested for.
- The judge might impose a higher bail or bond amount.
- Your failure to attend will look very bad for you if you have to return to court at a later date for a different crime.
Can I change my court date?
If you have a good enough excuse to change your court date and if you give the judge enough time to consider the possibility, you may be allowed to reschedule.
You may be allowed to change your court date if you have to attend a wedding or a funeral or if you have to undergo an operation in the hospital. You might also be allowed to change your court date if you need additional time to gather evidence for the upcoming trial.
If you need to postpone your court date, you should contact the court as soon as possible to explain why you can't attend on the scheduled date. If the court does decide to adjourn your matter, you will be given a new date for your hearing shortly after.
Get in touch
If you or your loved one are in need of bail bond services, get in touch with our expert team at Mr. Nice Guy Bail Bonds. We are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have, so call us at 844-400-2245, and benefit from the support we can offer you today.
