If you’re wondering about bail jumping or bail jumping penalties and not sure where to turn, then you aren’t alone.
The amount of people incarcerated in the United States is on the rise. Almost one out of every 100 people are in prison, making for a total of 0.7% of the entire population currently incarcerated.
Do you need help understanding jumping bail consequences? If so, then it’s smart to turn to the experts for help.
If you want to know about bail jumping and the consequences of jumping bail in North Carolina, keep reading our guide to find out more!
What Is a Bail Bond?
A bail bond is when you’ve been charged with a criminal offense and appear before a judge, who then decides if they can release you before going to trial.
You will have to convince the judge they can trust you to return for your next court hearing. You will also need to prove that you can follow the conditions of the court, like having a job or not drinking alcohol.
Type of Bonds
In North Carolina, there are different types of bail, and not all of them require you to have money.
A written promise to appear is when you promise to attend all court hearings in exchange for your release from jail.
An unsecured bond is a set bond for you, but you don’t have to pay it to get out of jail. However, if you fail to appear in court, then you will have to pay the entire amount of the bond and extra fees.
A secured bond is the most common type of bond. A secured bond is when you pay the bail amount with the cash you have or through a bail bond company.
A cash bond is when you have to pay the entire bond amount in cash.
How Bail Bonds Work
If you choose to use a bail bonds service, then you will need to pay 15% to the court upfront before they pay.
The bail bonds service takes a risk on you by posting your bond in full so that you can get out of jail.
A bail bonds service requires you to have a cosigner, which is another term for an indemnitor. The court will hold the cosigner responsible for attending all your court hearings and keeping to the duration of your bond.
What is Bail Jumping?
Bail jumping is when a person is released on bail and misses a court appearance to avoid trial and a possible conviction.
Most states define bail jumping as the defendant failing to show up to court, therefore forfeiting the bond.
What Are Bail Bond Services?
Bail bond services provide financial services to help people charged with criminal offenses leave jail while they wait for trial.
State laws regulate how bail bond companies operate in each state, and often these laws are complex. States have different degrees of the penalties they consider for bail jumping.
In most any state, the prosecution has to prove you intentionally failed to show up to court. Establishing this is pretty easy to do as all that is needed is to show you knew about the court appearance date beforehand.
Bail Jumping Penalties
Jumping bail consequences are no laughing matter, and the penalties can be huge.
If you use a bail bond company to pay your bond, then they are liable for that entire amount if you do not show up for court.
You give up any amount you paid for your bail. If you paid for this out of your pocket, then you won’t see it again as the court keeps it. You will have to pay the bail bondsman back for all money spent and a fee for using their services.
In addition, if you don’t pay your bail bondsman back, they will often send a bounty hunter to look for you.
You will face your criminal charges anyway, and the courts will charge you for failing to appear. Plus, now you’re dealing with even more trouble.
The most significant consequence is once the police or a bounty hunter track you down, you will be taken back to jail. Jail is where you will stay because courts often won’t offer you bail again once you have skipped out the first time.
Is Bail Jumping a Felony?
Failure to appear bail jumping is a severe offense in any state. In North Carolina, if you have a court date for a criminal charge, then you are required by law to appear.
Once you fail to appear, the court sends a warrant for your arrest, but you can be caught anytime from something simple like a traffic stop or even trying to leave the country to go on vacation.
In North Carolina, if you bail out on misdemeanor charges and fail to appear, you will face a misdemeanor failure to appear charge.
If you bail out on felony charges, then you will be charged with felony failure to appear. A felony charge can potentially lead to an additional three to eight months in jail.
Reach Out to Our Team
Do you have problems after bail jumping? Charlotte Bail Bonds can help you. Many people do not have the funds to pay the total bail amount.
Charlotte Bail Bonds has more than 40 years of experience. We can help you get out of jail quickly.
You don’t have to sit in a jail cell to wait for court. Make sure you contact us today to see how we can help you!
