What's at Stake When You Miss Your Court Appearance?

 Posted on June 25, 2018 in Bail Bonds

A lot rides on the mandatory court appearance following an arrest and subsequent bail. From the perspective of the accused, no-shows can create a lot of problems legally, financially, and personally. If you do manage to post bail, here's what is at stake should you fail to comply with the hearing date.

Personal Relationships

Many times individuals who post bail are unable to do so without help from a friend or family member. Failure to show for a hearing can result in forfeiture of the bond, which means your friend or loved one loses their money, and a warrant is placed for your arrest. We'll get into the forfeiture and arrest aspects in a moment, but for now, let the personal aspect resonate.

Betraying a loved one in such a manner can create future problems, especially considering the high rate of recidivism. According to the National Institute of Justice, more than three-fourths of individuals arrested for a crime are rearrested within five years of release. Failure to show up will ensure that person is only there for you once.

Asset Forfeiture

If you are able to post bond on your own, you should know that failure to show for your hearing date will result in having to pay the full amount. There's a big difference in paying the 10% to post on a $5,000 bond and paying the full $5,000. Few people have that kind of money laying around, especially those suspected of a crime.

New Charges

There often is more at stake than simply losing your bond-posting money, having to pay the full amount, or spending some extra time in jail. Failure to show can result in new charges, new convictions, and even stiffer penalties and punishments. It takes a bad problem and makes it much, much worse.

Professional Issues

If the charges you face are very serious, then you have bigger matters to be concerned about than how your case is playing at work. But if the charge is something that won't necessarily grind your life to a halt, then a failure to show can result in unexpected difficulties. More time in jail, more financial penalties. The more legal troubles you face, the more likely they are to spill over to your professional life and affect job performance and employment status.

Your Court Appearance Is a Serious Matter

If you're able to post bail, treat your court appearance like it's the most important day of your life. In many ways, it could be. And if you have any further questions or need help with your bail issue, reach out to Doc's Bail Bonds for support. We're here to ease you through what could be a scary and stressful process.

[Featured Image by Minot Air Force Base]