When you hire a bail bondsman to post a bond on your behalf, you are required to sign a contract that obligates you to show up on your court date. The bail bonding company agrees to pay your full bail amount on the occasion that you don’t show up for court, so they have put their money on the line by agreeing to post a bond, which is something they take seriously.
Occasionally, clients do miss court dates due to unexpected events occurring. Typically, as long as you communicate — contact your lawyer, public defender, or the clerk’s office — they will allow you to reschedule, and you can simply let your bondsman know without additional repercussions. The key to alleviating any additional bail or fines is communication.
Today, we are going to discuss what could happen if you miss your court date. However, communication is key to preventing these consequences if you do miss court, and as long as you keep that in mind, most bail bonding agencies will gladly work with you.
Contact Affordable Bail Bonding in Charlotte County to procure a bond for you or a loved one.
A Warrant Is Issued for Your Arrest
If you miss court and don’t contact your lawyer or public defender, the judge will most likely issue a warrant for your arrest. At this point, the judge has to assume that you have purposefully skipped your court date and has to take the next necessary steps.
The judge typically issues a bench warrant, which means that when you are arrested, you will be held in jail until your new court date. If you contact the court before your case has been called, you can usually just reschedule without too much hassle. Just make sure that you communicate your new date to your bondsman.
You May Be Required to Pay a Fine
If you miss your court date without contacting your lawyer or the clerk’s office, the judge can hold you in contempt of court and charge you with failure to appear. This can result in more fines and possible jail time.
The Bail Bonding Company Can Track You Down
When you sign a contract with a bail bonding company, you are signing a legally binding agreement that requires you to appear in court. You are also relinquishing some of your rights, which allows the bail bonding company to find you and bring you to court. If you miss your date, the court notifies the bail bonding company that the rest of your bail is due, and they can hire a bounty hunter to bring you in.
The Bail Bondsman Can Revoke Bail
If you miss your trial, the bail bondsman can revoke your bail. This means that even if you surrender yourself, you will be held in jail until your new court date unless you can find another way to post bail. Most bail bonding companies will work with you rather than revoking your bail.
The Court Will Reschedule Your Date
As long as you communicate with the court, they will usually just reschedule your court date and no other repercussions will be necessary. Once you have a new court date, you’ll notify your bail bondsman and they will change it on their calendar, and that’s it.
Contact the Best Bail Bondsman in Charlotte County
If you or someone you love in Charlotte County needs a bail bond, contact Affordable Bail Bonding today!