What Happens if I Have to Skip a Mandatory Court Date?

One of the most important things you must do when you’ve been released from jail on a bail bond is to attend all of your mandatory court dates. Failing to be a single one is grounds for your bail bond being revoked and an arrest warrant to be issued. In addition to having a warrant out for your arrest, you’ll be charged with a failure to appear in court which will make bail bonds agencies reluctant to work with you in the future.

But what if you have no choice and simply can’t attend your court appointment?

Here’s the cold hard truth. Your court appointments need to be your number one priority in life. They’re more important than work, more important than any relationship drama you’re going through, and to a certain extent, they are more important than most illnesses you might develop while you’re out on bail.

The good news is that most employers will be willing to give you the day off when you tell them you have a court appointment. Yes, you may have to tell them why you need the day off and no, they probably aren’t going to offer you paid time off for the experience. Most importantly, you need to give your employer plenty of advance warning that you have a court date.

An arrest and court date puts a great deal of strain on a relationship. We’ve had many people report that they missed a court date because they were fighting with a significant other. While we understand that your personal relationships are important, at this point, your legal situation is even more important. No matter what drama you and your significant other are going through, you’re going to have to learn how to put your emotions in check long enough for you to make it through whatever court process is on your schedule for the day. If you and your significant other had something important scheduled for that day, you’re going to have to rebook it.

A common cold or an injury you suffered a few days ago isn’t going to be a good enough reason for a judge or a bail bonds agency to forgive you for not going to court. If you do have a health problem that makes it difficult to attend court in person, contact the court clerk as soon as possible and see if it would be possible to handle your court appointment virtually. If you’re seriously injured, they may even agree to postpone the date until a time when you’re well enough to attend.

If something, such as a serious car accident while you were on the way to the courthouse, resulted in you missing your court date, the first thing you should do is contact the court and let them know what happened. Be prepared to show proof that you were genuinely and unexpectedly incapacitated and that you reached out to them as soon as possible. The second thing you must do is alert the bail bonds agency you’re working with and let them know about your current situation.

Have questions about the California bail program and how bail bonds work? You can contact South Gate Bail Bonds at 1-866-485-6356 or 562-496-2139 or click Talk To An Agent Now to chat. Consultation is FREE!