If you were arrested, and have obtained a bail bond for your release, don’t skip town. You may think that you can avoid a trial if you skip town, but that’s not the case. At the least, you’ll simply delay the process. At the most, you’ll compound the problems you face. Here are seven possible outcomes you face if you choose to skip out on your bail bond.
1. A Warrant Will Be Issued
If you skip town, and fail to appear in court, the judge will issue a warrant for your arrest. The warrant effectively revokes your bail bond, which means you’ll be taken back into police custody as soon as you’re located.
2. Your Loved Ones May Be Hounded
If you skip bail, and you’ve been charged with a violent crime, law enforcement officials may exercise all available measures to bring you back into custody. Those measures include the investigation of your friends and family members.
This is particularly true if law enforcement officials suspect that your loved ones know where you are. Unfortunately, active investigations into your whereabouts can put undue stress and hardship on your loved ones.
3. A Bounty Hunter May Get involved
When you jump bail, you become a fugitive. When that happens, a bounty hunter may enter the picture, especially if you paid a substantial cash payment for your bond. Once a bounty hunter gets involved, they’ll follow your trail until they find you. Bounty hunters often get involved because they’ll receive a cash reward once they surrender you to the appropriate agency.
4. Your License May Be Suspended
While you’re out on bail bond release, you will have court hearings that you must attend. If you miss you fail to appear, your license may be suspended. As soon as your license is suspended, notification goes through all official law enforcement channels, which means you’ll be arrested once you’re pulled over for a traffic violation.
You will not be able to have your license reinstated until after you’re brought back to face your bail violations.
5. You May Face Failure to Appear Charges
When you miss court dates after you jump bail, the judge may charge you with failure to appear. Those charges are added to the charges you already face, which means you face a longer jail sentence should you be found guilty of your original charges. Unfortunately, even if you’re acquitted of your original charges, you may still spend time in jail on your bond-related violations.
6. The Court May Raise Your Bail
If you decide to skip town as soon as you obtain your bail bond release from custody, the court may decide to raise your bail. Once you’re apprehended, you’ll need to secure additional funds before you can leave custody again. In some cases, your opportunity for bail will be revoked altogether, which means you remain in custody until your case is finalized.
7. You’ll Forfeit Your Cash and Collateral
If your original bail was of a substantial amount, and you utilized both cash and collateral to secure your release, you forfeit those items once you jump bail. That includes any cars, jewelry, or homes that were used as part of the collateral portion of your bail bond. Unfortunately, if your friends and family provided any cash or collateral for your bail bond, they’ll suffer the consequences, as well.
If you’ve obtained a bond release from police custody, stay in town. You’ll make matters much worse if you skip town. If you need further assistance with your bail bond, and you’re in the Murfreesboro, TN., area, contact us at Affordable Bail Bonds. We’re here to help keep you out of trouble.
