How to Resolve a Forfeited Bond in Travis County

 

If you or a loved one has been released from the Travis County Jail on bond, your legal obligations are not fulfilled until you go through all steps of the judicial process. One of the key factors in remaining out of jail is showing up for all court appointments. If you’ve missed a court date, you will need to take the appropriate steps to not go back to jail for bond forfeiture, or “skipping bail.”

We at Freedom Bail Bonds understand that life sometimes gets in the way of best laid plans. That’s why we will explain forfeited bonds and how to best navigate the judicial system if you are faced with this conundrum.

What does it mean to have a forfeited bond?
When a defendant fails to show up for his or her court date, a bond will be deemed forfeited. Obviously, when a defendant is released from jail on bail, there are certain responsibilities of having a bail bond that are expected of that defendant; if, at any point, the defendant misses a court date and fails to fulfill those responsibilities, the full amount of his or her bail is automatically forfeited. In short, if a defendant does not show up in court, he or she will not be refunded the amount of their bail.

What are the consequences of a forfeited bond?
When a defendant misses a court date and the bond is forfeited, the state gives the bondsman about a week to attempt to locate his or her client. If the bondsman is unable to do so, a couple of things happen: first, the bail bondsman (such as Freedom Bail Bonds) loses the money paid for the original bond, and second, a warrant is issued for the arrest of the defendant.

What is the best way to rectify a forfeited bond?
If you do find yourself in this situation, you must get in touch with both the bondsman and the court IMMEDIATELY. By starting the communication process with both your bondsman and the court as soon as possible, your court date will, in most cases, be reset, and the forfeiture of your bond will be recalled. If you fail to get in touch with your bondsman or the courts, the warrant for your arrest will remain active; in addition, when you actually are arrested, the chances of obtaining another bail bond is slim and you will have to stay in jail until your trial date.

Our Freedom Bail Bond agents will do everything in their power to help you or your loved one in difficult legal situations. We’re located near the courthouse in Austin and Georgetown, TX and can help you 24-hours a day, 7 days a week. For this reason, the best thing you can do if you miss a court date is give us a call at (512)481-0000. If you are outside the Travis County area call our toll free line 1-(800)-766-7002.