Failure to Appear
Bail Jumping Defense in Houston: Brazoria, Ft. Bend, Galveston, Harris & Montgomery Counties
Due process in the American judicial court system is a treasured constitutional right that effectively creates certain privileges for criminal defendants. The doctrine of “not guilty until proven otherwise” is often accompanied by the privilege of posting bail and enjoying relative freedom during the legal proceedings. When a court considers that this privilege has been abused, it may result in additional criminal charges.
Failing to Appear in Court
Failure to appear in a Texas court is essentially a violation of a court order. It is also known as jumping bail, although this is only accurate if bail was previously granted. In the criminal justice system, bail can be secured by bond or by personal recognizance. It guarantees the right of a defendant to not have to remain in custody, and it creates a formal agreement between the court and the defendant.
Penalties for Missing a Mandatory Court Appearance
Skipping court does not have to involve the violation of bail conditions. For example, a person who does not pay a traffic ticket and is given a date to appear in court to fight the infraction may be charged with missing his court date if he or she does not attend the scheduled hearing. In the case of a missed traffic court hearing, the consequence is a misdemeanor charge. However, other situations may bring about more serious results, which can range from a suspended license to a bond revocation and from a bench warrant to a jail sentence.
Legal Defenses for Bail Jumping
A number of defenses can be raised when defendants are charged with jumping bail. The main strategy consists of establishing that neglecting to appear was not a willful act. For example, a defense attorney may argue that his client did not appear on the scheduled day because the court documents that were supposed to inform him of his hearing were accidentally mailed to the wrong recipient. If a bail bondsman is involved and he or she persuaded the judge to issue a warrant, the intentions of the bondsman may be questioned.
Hire a Failure to Appear Attorney in Houston, TX to Represent You
Get a free consultation with the Law Office of Greg Tsioros at (832) 752-5972 if you are accused of jumping bail.