When you are stuck in jail and you reach out to a bail bond company for help, these professionals put their own money on the line to help you out. As part of the terms of your release, you will most assuredly be required to return to court at some point. In the event you miss a scheduled court appearance, it can bring about a lot of problems where your bail bond and your freedom are concerned. Here are a few questions most bail bond customers have about missing a court appearance. 

What should you do if you accidentally miss your court date?

It is extremely important that you keep your court date after your release. When you miss your court date, the terms of the bail bond can be automatically voided and a bench warrant may be issued for your arrest. In these instances, the bail bonds agency has the full right to pursue you and turn you into the local authorities. However, if you have legitimately missed a court date, reach out to the bail bond company and the court, let them know what has taken place, and you may be able to work something out to clear the warrant and save your initial bail from being revoked. 

Will the bail bond company take your collateral if you miss a court date?

Technically and legally speaking, any property you place as collateral in order to get a bail bond can be considered forfeited if you skip your court appearance because you have not acted within the terms of the agreement. Nevertheless, redemption may be possible if you act quickly and stay in communication with the bail bonds agency. Usually, it will take at least a few days of no contact before a bond agency will take the next steps to begin to cover their own losses. 

Will it help if you have some proof of why you missed your court appearance?

Most courts do not allow missing court for an illness unless the situation is severe and you have a legitimate document to prove what you are saying. Therefore, if you do get sick or get injured and it just so happens to be at the time when you were supposed to go to court, it is always best if you can get any proof of the event that you can. While there is no guarantee this documentation will keep you out of trouble, it may help.