When a person is released from jail with the help of a bail bond service in Alameda County CA, they are agreeing to certain conditions. A failure to abide by these conditions is known as jumping bail and comes with serious consequences. People often assume they will simply be held responsible for the full bail amount, but this is not the case. Before any person agrees to help a defendant secure their release, they need to understand the consequences. What are these consequences?
The Consequences of Jumping Bail
First and foremost, the defendant will likely forfeit the money paid for the bond and the criminal charges he or she was accused of will remain in place. Additional charges could be added to the initial charges as the defendant jumped bail. Furthermore, if the defendant cannot be found, the person who signed for the bail bond may be held accountable for the full amount.
What Constitutes Jumping Bail?
A failure to appear in court as required is considered jumping bail. However, the defendant may find he or she has 30 days to surrender to authorities after the bond has been forfeited. In addition, the jurisdiction where the bail jumping occurred may have an impact on the charges being faced. For example, some localities state a person can only jump bail if they are facing felony charges. Furthermore, the charges a person may face jumping bail could also vary by jurisdiction.
Intent
The intent is also considered when a defendant misses a court date. For instance, a person who is ill and in the hospital receiving treatment will not be charged with jumping bail. However, some courts require proof that the defendant was aware of the court date and had been properly notified before they will be charged with jumping bail.
With so many variables in bail jumping cases, it is always best to talk to someone with knowledge of how the courts handle these matters. Contact us, as we are a licensed, reputable bail bond service in Alameda County CA. The team is always ready to assist clients in resolving situations such as these. All one has to do is ask and they go into action to ensure the matter is resolved in the shortest time possible.
