An important part of being out on bail is making sure a person does not miss any scheduled court hearings. Missing a court hearing can result in being arrested again and having to pay the full amount of bail. Once a person misses their court date, a judge will issue a warrant for an arrest. This allows a police officer to make an arrest and can keep a person in jail until they can resolve why they missed their court date.
Bail is meant to keep a person out of jail which is why it is important to take all necessary steps to avoid failure to appear at all court hearings.
In order to reschedule a court hearing, a person must have a reasonable explanation for why they need to postpone. If a person or their family member is seriously ill, a postponement request will likely be granted.
If a person must miss a court hearing for any reason, it is best to contact the courts immediately to determine if the hearing can be rescheduled. Here are the first steps that should be taken if a person cannot make it to their court date:
- Contact your Attorney
- Contact the court
- File any paperwork
- Call your bail bondsman
If a person has an attorney, it is best that they reach out to them to discuss why they cannot make it to the scheduled court hearing so that the attorney can work with the courts to request a continuance and have the hearing rescheduled.
If a person does not have an attorney, they can call the county court clerk and discuss how to request to reschedule a court appearance. A court clerk will be able to provide all of the necessary information about how to proceed and provide any paperwork that may be necessary to be completed.
If working with a bail bond company, it is very important to contact the bail bond agent immediately to reschedule any court hearings. Failure to appear and keep the bondsman updated can result in risk of losing all of the money or collateral used to keep the person out of jail. To ensure that a person will attend their court appearance, a bail bondsman may require them to check in by telephone or in person. This can help avoid any last-minute rescheduling or missed court hearings.
Remember that if a court hearing needs to be rescheduled, contact the courts as soon as possible. Without a reasonable explanation and proper notice, it is less likely that the courts will reschedule the hearing.
We at Mercy Bail Bonds are here to provide you with excellent service and information when you need it. If you have any questions or wish to discuss how we at Mercy Bail Bonds can help, please feel free to contact our office at (727)856-7775. We will take the time to walk you through every step of this process and answer any questions you might have.