What happens when a person on bail fails to appear in court?
A.: First, the court issues a warrant for the person’s arrest, and usually orders the bond forfeited at that time. If the bond is cash or property, the court keeps the cash or property. If the bond is a surety bond, the bondsman must pay the bond to the court. If a bondsman or bounty hunter is able to locate the defendant and bring him or her to court within a reasonable period of time, the court may return some of the money to the bondsman. Q.: How is the bail bond amount determined? A.: In felony cases (more serious cases) the amount of the bail bond is determined by a judge or magistrate. He or she will consider the seriousness of the offense, the strength of the evidence, the defendant’s ties to the community, prior criminal history, and history of appearance at court proceedings. The court also may consider factors such as the defendant’s medical or psychological condition. In addition to setting a monetary bond, the court may issue reasonable conditions to ensure the accused pers
