Going to Jail for an Unpaid Bail Bond?

Another bail related question at Yahoo Answers where we were chosen as Best Answer by Voters.

Question:  Can I go to jail for not paying for my bail bond?

Answer:  Bail is regulated on a state-by-state basis, it would be best if you checked with your state’s regulation. Are you referring to a payment plan you made with the bail bondsman for the bail fee or are you referring to a bail forfeiture?  I am assuming you are speaking of a bail bond payment plan.

I do not know what state you are in, but  for the state of California, a bondsman cannot return you to jail for not making payments. However, some bondsman will return people to jail for just that.

When a defendant is bailed out by a bondsman, the bondsman becomes the de facto jailer and can return you to jail for any reason at all or even close to no reason. If you fail to follow the bondsman’s requirements or fail to fulfill your responsibilities as mentioned in the bail bond contract (for example, check-in in on a regular basis, notifying the bondsman of a change of addresses or someone has notified the bondsman you are not planning on going to court), the bondsman will rightfully put you back in jail. You would be considered a flight risk to the court and a financial risk to the bail bondsman.

If you are having difficulty with your payments, call your bondsman and ask if you can make an alternative arrangement. If you simply choose not to pay, at minimum you will be hearing from a collector and you can expect a negative impact to your credit.

 

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