Failure To Appear: What Happens If Someone Skips Bail?

Did you bail someone out of jail, or are you considering doing so? Then, there are probably two important questions you may have to ask yourself before deciding. The first question will be, what happens to the person if you choose not to bail them out? Secondly, what happens to the money you post on their behalf if they decide not to show up in court? 

What if you choose not to bail them out?

The answer to this question entirely depends upon the location. Small community centers like detention centers located in police stations have limited space and generally don’t keep the accused much longer than a day. They may be transferred to another facility after a day or several days. One guaranteed thing is that they might be moved to an unpleasant location compared to the facility they are currently kept in. If you want, you have an option of calling the booking officer to know what would be the situation of the accused if you refuse to post them bail. 

What if they don’t show up to their court cases?

When you agree to help someone arrested, you will have two options. Either you can pay the full bail amount directly to the court or use the services of a bail bondsman. You will become an “Indemnitor” if you sign a bail bond contract with a licensed company. This means you are the responsible person to the court and bondsman on behalf of the accused.

A bail bond is a legal contract

After signing the bail bond contract, you guarantee that the defendant will appear in court. In many cases, there are simple reasons or situations for the defendant to skip the court hearing. The reasons might be as simple as being ill, car trouble, or just forgetting the court hearing date. Situations like these are understandable, and the new court date is easily rescheduled.

Failure to appear in court

Occasionally, there are instances that the defendant intentionally skips the appearance in court once they are bailed out. If you believe that the defendant is purposefully going to miss the court date or leave the town, then don’t even consider them bailing out. Remember that you may not be criminally liable for the defendant’s actions but will be civilly liable. 

Therefore, ensure that you know the responsibilities as an indemnity before you enter into a bail bond contract on someone else’s behalf. It is mandatory to understand the bail bonds process. You need to understand that as a signer, you are responsible for the defendant’s every court appearance. Once the defendant fails to appear in court, you become accountable for informing the bondsman and helping them to get the defendant back to jail.

Decide on a bail bond.

When someone you love has been arrested, you may want to bail them out so they won’t spend too much time in jail. But, think of it carefully before taking any decision. It may be your costly mistake. Don’t arrange bail for them if, for any reason, you believe that they won’t appear for the court hearings once you bail them out. It may be harsh to see them sitting in jail during a court proceeding, which could last for a long time. But it would be a significant financial liability for you if you post a bond for them, but they decide to leave or skip the bail instead of handling their own legal issues. 

Trusted bail bond company in Colorado

It is never a good idea to skip out on bail. If you know someone who has skipped out on bail, you must immediately contact the bail bond company. They will find a solution to the problem as quickly as possible. Contact Acts Now Bail Bonds if you want to know what to do if someone skips the bail. We serve all counties in Colorado 24/7.