Getting bailed out of jail may only bring you temporary relief, as your upcoming court date brings fear and panic in your mind. It’s easy to be concerned about the results, and you might even be considering skipping out on bail. Although it might seem like a good idea now, failure to appear in court in Texas and across the United States is a misdemeanor and will make things harder for you. Here are a few reasons why you should never fail to appear in court, no matter how anxious you are.
Reasons Not to Skip/Jump Bail
‘ll Face More Charges
If you jump bail on a felony case, there is a good chance you will get caught. You will then have to worry about facing additional charges for fleeing. This will make you look bad in front of the judge, and can lead to further consequences, like added jail time. Even more, you will have to worry about paying out a lot of money to your bondsman, if you used one to get out of jail the first time around.
You’ll Pay a Fine
The penalties for jumping bail depend on the original charge you faced. In order to charge you for failing to appear in court, the prosecutor has to prove you were able to attend but purposefully chose not to. If you accidentally miss your court date, that’s a different story. Take this scenario for example: If you did not show up for a class C misdemeanor charge, an additional class C misdemeanor can be added to your record. You may also be subject to fines of up to $500.
You Become a Fugitive
Another consequence for bail jumping in Texas is that you will now be considered a fugitive, and a bench warrant will be issued. A failure to appear warrant allows you to be arrested anytime, anywhere, including other states and countries. Bail jumping/failure to appear in Texas is a criminal offense, so depending on what you were originally charged for, the new charge can be a felony or misdemeanor and may be marked permanently on your criminal record.
It Could Cause Problems for Your Family Members/Friends/Co-Signer
When you skip bail, you are putting yourself, and your co-signer, friends, and family at risk. Whoever put themselves on the line to bail you out of jail will also face the consequences of your actions if you choose to skip bail. Even if they worked with a bondsman, they could be held accountable if you do not appear in court, and they may have to pay out a large sum of money.
Bounty Hunters Will Be Sent After You
If you jump bail and your bail bondsman cannot get a hold of you, they may hire a bounty hunter to find you. For the rest of your life you will be chased, and you will be draining more money out of your co-signer. This is because your co-signer is held responsible for paying the bounty hunter to keep looking for you. Instead of going through all of this trouble, and putting your co-signer at risk, it’s better to face the music and go to court. By jumping bail, you may think you are saving yourself trouble, but the consequences outweigh the short-term relief.
You Could Face a Higher Bond or No Bond in the Future
Skipping bail once has long-term consequences. If you’re ever in trouble with the law again, you could either face a higher bond, or be refused a bond completely. If you have a history of not appearing for your court dates, it will be extremely difficult for you to find a bail bondsman to help you, as they may fear you won’t show up in court again. Even if you plan to turn your life around and stay out of trouble, it may be too late. The mistakes you make today impact your future, so it is best not to skip bail.
Bail for Failure to Appear in Texas Court
If you were arrested for failure to appear, and you were proven to be a flight risk, it is very unlikely that you will be granted bail. A judge who has a hard time trusting you to return to court for your court date will be disinclined to release you on bail. However, particular situations may increase the chances of you getting bail for failure to appear. These situations may include an illness, death in the family, you didn’t know you had to appear, your lawyer was unavailable for that date, or you were arrested or imprisoned in another location. Under these circumstances, you may be able to get bail for failure to appear.
If you or someone you know needs to be bailed out right away, you can get help from a 24-hour bail bondsman near Arlington, TX, at PCS Bail Bonds. For over 25 years, our team has helped thousands of clients navigate the complex world of legal proceedings. We have also professional memberships in several renowned associations including the Professional Bondsmen of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, Professional Bondsmen of Tarrant County, and the Texas Process Servers Association.
We can post affordable bail bonds in Fort Worth, Texas, and other municipalities in Tarrant County. Whatever type of bail bond you need, we provide our clients with rates that are 10 percent lower than the competition. We also focus on processing your requests quickly and efficiently. This is what makes us the top choice for affordable bail bonds in this area. Our bond agents are always on call and we can be down to the jail in as little as 30 minutes.
Contact us now by phone at 817-335-1655, at our e-mail, visit in-person, or fill out our bail bond request form. You’ll can be confident that you’re working with experts who are dedicated to helping you.
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