For certain offenses and crimes in Minnesota, the suspect may be released ahead of their scheduled court date if they meet specific bail conditions. Bail conditions can vary from person to person and charge to charge, but in many instances a person needs to pay a certain amount of money (or secure a bail bond) and agree to show up to all future criminal court proceedings. This allows the suspect to maintain some semblance of a normal life while they are waiting for their case to play out.
But what happens if you fail to uphold your end of the bargain and you opt not to show up for court after posting bail? We take a closer look at the consequences for bail jumping in today’s blog.
Bail Jumping Consequences
Bail jumping is not taken lightly by the court, and the sanctions they impose on you will likely be based on the excuse you give as to why you did not show up for a mandatory court appearance. If you suffered a verifiable medical emergency, it’s likely that the court would either opt not to punish you for this emergency or they would impose minor penalties. However, as your excuses get flimsier, the likelihood that your excuse will be met with sympathetic ears decreases.
Simply skipping court without notice and telling the judge after the fact that you couldn’t find childcare isn’t likely to cut it. While that may be true, you had plenty of time to secure childcare and made no attempts to inform the court of your conflict and offer any sort of remedy. It will be up to the judge to determine what type of penalties are imposed for your absence. Similarly, if you skipped court and have no intention of facing the charges levied against you, there will be severe consequences for your actions.
Some of the most common penalties imposed on bail jumpers in Minnesota include:
- Forfeiting any bail money or collateral you put towards your release.
- A bench warrant being issued for your arrest.
- Revocation of your bail, meaning you will spend your time in jail awaiting trial.
- Much more severe bail conditions now and for future offenses.
As to the first point, it should be noted that when you post bail on your own, you are entitled to get this money back from the court (less any court-imposed fines) if you show up to all of your court appearances, regardless of whether you are found guilty or innocent. For example, let’s say that you posted a $1,000 bail and were found innocent of the charges. If you showed up to all your court appearances, that $1,000 would be returned to you. If you were found guilty and required to pay a $600 fine, that $600 would be taken out of your bail amount and the remainder ($400) would be returned to you upon completion of your case.
If you fail to show up for even one required court appearance, your bail fee can be forfeited to the court, and you won’t get it back even if you beat the charges, so make sure that you attend all mandatory appearances.
In some instances, a lawyer can appear in court on your behalf, which can save your time and money depending on your situation. Some appearances will still be required even if you have a lawyer, but they may be able to help you avoid certain appearances, and of course they will give you a much better chance of beating the charges, so oftentimes it makes sense to hire a lawyer if you are facing criminal charges. We’ve helped countless clients navigate their legal issues, and we can do the same for you. For more information, or for help with a different legal issue, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
