The police arrest approximately 10 million people each year, and many of these individuals pay bail money to get released before their trials. If you get arrested and pay your bail to get out, is it wise to flee town afterward?
If you pay bail, you can follow through with your hearings or fleeing town, but skipping out on bail is probably not the right choice. When you skip out on bail, you’ll face some consequences.
Here is a breakdown of what might happen if you flee after paying bail.
You, Will, Owe Money to the Bail Bond Agent
When you hire a bail bond agent to help you get out of jail, you must pay a fee to the agency. You might also have to surrender some collateral to them. You will get the collateral back if you follow the court’s rules, but you will not get the fee back.
If you decide to jump bail after your release, you stand to lose a lot of money. The bail bond agent can charge you the amount they paid for your release. If your bail was $5,000, you’d owe the agent $5,000.
The Court Might Place a Warrant for You
Paying bail money for a pretrial release doesn’t eliminate the charges you face. You’ll have court hearings to attend, and you must be present for all of them. If you’re not, the court might place a bench warrant out for your arrest.
Your bail money provides a way out of jail, but it also requires following the court’s rules. If you flee after your release, you probably won’t attend your court hearings, and this will typically result in a warrant.
The Court Might Impose Harsher Sentencing for Your Charges
The next thing to know is that the bail bond agent will find you after fleeing. Once this occurs, you’ll land back in jail, and you’ll have to attend your court hearings.
The downside to jumping bail is that the court might be less willing to reduce your charges and consequences. When people flee while out on bail, courts usually impose stricter punishments on them.
You Might Face Additional Charges
Finally, skipping out on bail could lead to further charges against you. Bail bonds are available as a favor, in a sense. If you follow the conditions, you’ll have no problems.
If you break the bail conditions, you could face additional charges. Courts can impose further charges as a result of breaking the bail conditions.
If you want to avoid further legal issues when out on bail, show up to your hearings, and follow all the bail rules.
When You Pay Bail, You Should Follow The Rules
Courts allow you to pay bail to get released before your trial, but paying bail bonds doesn’t get you off the hook for the criminal charges you face.
If you need assistance with your bail, contact us at A Be Out Bail Bonding. We can help you get out of jail quickly, and we charge reasonable rates.
