Thinking Of Skipping Out On Your Bail? 3 Good Reasons Not To
Posted on: 29 October 2015
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When you're out on bail and waiting for your court date, it's easy to get nervous about your case. If you suspect that things won't go well for you in court, it's understandable that you might fantasize about just disappearing and starting over someplace else. However, this is never a good idea. Bail jumping has negative consequences for everyone, including you and your family and friends. Take a look at a few good reasons why you should gather up your courage and show up in court instead of skipping out on your bail.
You'll Be Leaving Someone on The Hook
Bail bondsmen take a risk when they use their money to pay your bail. They can't afford to lose money every time someone jumps bail. They protect themselves by asking for collateral—like a house, a car, or cash—for that service. Chances are that someone who you are very close to, like a parent, a sibling, or a longtime friend offered up something for collateral so that you could make bail. Whoever that person is, when they put up the collateral for your bail, they took responsibility for making sure that you show up in court.
When you don't show up for court, the first person your bail bondsman will contact is the person who put up the money and collateral for your bail. The bail bondsman will ask that person to work with them to help find you and make sure that you appear in court. The possibility of losing that collateral will encourage your loved one to share any information they have about your whereabouts.
You'll Have to Avoid Bounty Hunters
The court will give the bail bondsman a certain amount of time to find you and bring you to court. If contacting your friends and family members doesn't work, then the next step is to send professional put professional bounty hunters on the case. Bounty hunters are a lot like private detectives, except that they have the power to arrest you and bring you back to court.
Only a small handful of states don't allow bounty hunting. Bounty hunters also have many different ways to track you; they can locate you through your activity on social media, or by pinging your cell phone. They'll track your credit cards and social security number.
You should know that it's very unlikely that you'll outsmart them, since bounty hunters get a percentage of the bail amount if they catch you, and nothing at all if they don't catch you. That's a powerful motivation for bounty hunters to find their targets. Maybe that's why bounty hunters catch 97% of the fugitives they go after.
You'll Have an Even Worse Time in Court
If you think you're worried about court now, wait until you have to appear in front of the judge after jumping your bail. You may have had a chance for leniency before going on the lam, but afterward, you'll be facing additional charges and a judge that's angry that you didn't comply with the terms of your release.
You'll also probably be stuck in jail until the next court date. After you've skipped out on bail, you've established yourself as a flight risk. The court might be reluctant to give you bail again, and even if they do, a bail bondsman might be reluctant to work with you.
Don't give into your fears about court by running away when you're out on bail because you'll only make the situation worse. Use your time to work on your defense instead. For more information about your options, work closely with your lawyer or bail bonds provider.