After the defendant has been released on bail, there are a number of conditions they will be required to meet in order to retain their freedom. One that applies to all charges is the condition that the individual appear before the court on their hearing date. Failure to appear for a mandated court date is a violation of the bail term and is punishable by bail revocation.
There are a lot of reasons that someone could miss their court date. An emergency medical visit, a move, or a moderate illness might all seem like valid reasons to miss your court date, but the courts might disagree. If you were not notified of your hearing date due to a failing of the court, you had a documented medical or family emergency, or your lawyer has withdrawn the judge may excuse your absence. But if your reason for skipping your hearing doesn’t fall into one of these main categories, you could be unexpectedly faced with a warrant.
Our affordable bail bondsmen know that everyone makes mistakes and that a failure to appear in court does not mean the individual is trying to jump bail or skip town. We’re here to help you understand your options if you or a loved one miss a court date, and help to secure bail for FTA. At Apex Bail Bonds our bail bond services are affordably priced, easy to access, and fast. With convenient bail bond financing plans, you won’t need to worry about affording bail for your loved one.
When looking for FTA bail bonds near me, trust us to help.
What Are The Penalties for Failure to Appear?
Missing a hearing date without informing the court or skipping bail is a punishable offense. In most cases, a new warrant will be issued. It’s possible the defendant will not even know a new warrant has been issued, in the event they have missed their court date due to not receiving notice of a change or simply forgetting. This can make a potential re-arrest even more confusing and frightening.
Once re-arrested, the defendant may face steep charges and consequences if convicted for failure to appear or jumping bail. In some cases, the judge could decide to revoke the original bail, making any amount paid towards securing release non-refundable. A judge can also determine that a bail amount should not be set if they feel the defendant is a higher flight risk. Since a re-arrest counts as a new charge, a new bail amount can be set and a failure to appear bond can be obtained from a trusted bail bondsman.
If the defendant was originally charged with a felony, failing to appear in court could result in an additional felony charge. In these cases, it is even more important that you address it quickly so that the courts know that you are serious about resolving the charges. Individuals with felony charges are more likely to face warrant and re-arrest.
How Apex Bail Bonds Can Help FTA Charges
Our compassionate bail bonds team understands that accidents happen to the best of us. Failing to appear for a court hearing while released on bail can happen for a variety of reasons. Whether you overslept or missed your notice to appear, we’re here to help.
Call us if you or a loved one has been re-arrested for failing to show up in court. We will work with you to sort out the paperwork. Our experienced bail bondsmen are available 24/7 via phone to answer any questions you may have and walk you through the entire process.
FAQs about FTA Bonds
FTA stands for Failure to Appear. This is an offense characterized by a defendant’s failure to show up in court on their appointed hearing date. Such a defendant may be ordered back into custody or may face a fine for their non-appearance in court.
The cost of bail for FTA charges will differ by state, and dependent on the original charges issued. For example, an FTA on a felony charge will hold higher consequences – and require a higher bail fee.
