After posting bail and securing your release from jail, you should honor court dates and appear for the hearing. If you do not show up for the court hearing and you do not alert the court of your absence, there are consequences of skipping bail. Some defendants also skip bail to avoid arrest.
Why skipping bail should never be an option
Skipping bail has consequences. It is good to understand how bail works and the consequences of skipping it. What happens after you skip bail will depend on the judge’s decisions, and conditions of the bail.
Here is what to expect when you skip bail:
- Additional charges
- Forfeiture
- Bounty hunters
- Bail revocation
Additional charges
The court will issue another warrant of arrest in case your skip bail. Even if the court decides that you are innocent for the first offense, the offense of skipping bail is separate, and you may suffer punishment for that.
Forfeit the bail amount
Collateral for the bond is usually cash, property, or even co-signers. When you skip a bond, you forfeit the collateral and another warrant of arrest is issued against you.
Bounty hunters
It is advisable to use a bail bondsman company to secure bail. It reduces your financial responsibility when posting bail. When you skip bail, it is the responsibility of the bail bond company to find you and ensure that you appear in court or else they lose the bail amount. Most of the bail bond companies use bounty hunters to find you. They will also seize your resources.
The judge will revoke the bail
Since the bail should act as an incentive to ensure you appear in court, if you fail to appear, the judge will revoke bail, and issue a warrant of arrest since you are a flight risk defendant.
