A common misconception about skipping bail is that a person has to willfully leave the area and go on the run. While this is certainly one way to skip bail, it isn’t the only way.
Once a bail bond is posted and you are released from custody, you must attend all of your scheduled court appearances. If you miss one, you’ve skipped bail. Below are a few things that can happen if you skip bail, whether on purpose or not.
A Warrant Is Issued For Your ArrestÂ
Once it has been determined that you’ve skipped bail, a judge will issue a warrant for your arrest. Law enforcement officers can then begin looking for you and arrest you on the spot if/when they find you. The warrant will remain active until you’re arrested or you turn yourself in.
Sometimes a contempt of court charge will be pressed in addition to the warrant. It’s an independent charge from the one you’re already facing and must be dealt with.
Your Bail Coult Be Revoked
If you skip bail, it could lead to forfeiture and/or revocation of your bail. This means that the court will remove your right to bail because they aren’t sure you can be trusted to remain free pending your trial.
Forfeiture of bail means that whatever you put up for bail (cash, property, or surety) will be seized by the court. If you put up cash or property for your bail, it now belongs to the court. If you work with Santa Clarita Bail Bonds, it means you or the person who obtained the bail bond will be responsible for the full cost of the bail. This can be tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the charges.
What Can You Do?
Not everyone skips bail with criminal intent, and missing a mandatory court appearance doesn’t necessarily lead to negative outcomes. It’s possible to schedule a hearing on your charge of skipping bail so that you can explain any mitigating factors that may have caused you to unintentionally miss one of your court appearances.
If you have an attorney, you can also speak to them about your circumstances. Sometimes the courts will allow your legal representation to speak on your behalf.
The best-case scenario is that the court will reinstate your bail with the same bail conditions and then set a new court date. In the worst-case, you will be taken back into custody until your rescheduled court appearance.
