In the State of Florida, you are required to appear in court after posting a bond. The same rules apply regardless of the type of charge. Failure to appear in court can result in a separate criminal charge in addition to the original charge. Failing to appear in court is often referred to as “Bail Jumping”.
Failure to appear in court not only violates Florida laws, but it also violates Federal Law. There are other consequences that come along with jumping bail such as:
- Forfeiting bond (you lose the money paid towards the bond)
- Continuing to face the pending criminal charges in addition to the new charges for failing to appear in court
- If you bonded out on a felony charge and failed to appear in court, you would be charged with a third-degree felony. In the State of Florida, this offense is punishable
- If you bonded out on a misdemeanor charge, you would be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree for failing to appear in court as required
- If you fail to appear in court the judge could also issue a warrant for your arrest. In some cases, police officers might even go to your home or workplace to execute the arrest warrant
- Bail could be set at a higher amount, and you may be required to stay in custody for the completion of the case
If you or your loved one are in need of information on Bail Jumping or Failure to Appear in Court, call us at 407-930-8912 to speak with a qualified legal professional or fill out the contact form on this page. We’re available 24/7, we offer free initial consultation and payment plans. In addition to our Orlando location, we have offices in the following cities across the state of Florida:
- Daytona Beach
- Kissimmee
- Melbourne
- Lakeland
- Ocala
- Tampa
- Fort Myers
- Sanford
- Miami
- Jacksonville
- Fort Lauderdale
- Sarasota
- Clearwater
*Additional Orlando Florida & Orange County Legal Resources