What Happens if You Don't Show Up for Court After Posting Bail?

Last updated 2 years ago

After a person is arrested for a crime, they are taken into police custody to find out if they are eligible for bail. If the court determines that the person is eligible, then they will be able to pay a specified amount of money in exchange for returning home until their trial begins. Many people don’t have extra money that they can afford to part with, which is why they hire bail bond services to help them pay bail.

The accused party will only have to pay a fraction of the bail amount and may have to put up collateral. The bail bond service pays the court the rest of the amount. After all scheduled court dates, the bail bond service will receive their money back from the court and the accused party will receive their collateral back. However, problems do arise if the accused party does not show up for their court dates after posting bail:

Forfeit bail money. Bail is meant to serve as incentive for appearing in court. By paying bail, the accused party promises to show up for their court dates in exchange for being able to be out of custody. If a person does not show up for their court dates, then they have not held up their end of the deal and the court keeps the bail money.

Lose collateral. When using bail bond services, you may have to put up a valuable possession as collateral. For many people, this can be their house, car, or another large item. Failure to show up for a court date will result in the bail bond financing company losing their money, and in exchange, they will keep the collateral.

Warrant for arrest. After missing court dates, the court will put out a warrant for arrest. This can result in even more serious problems with the law.

After posting bail, it’s essential that you show up for all court dates. At Golden Eagle Bail Bonds, we can help you by providing the money you need to make bail and fight for your rights.

We are close to all jails in the area and we answer our phones 24/7. Please call us at (888) 433-1615 for more information.