You’re Free for Now: What’s Next?

Statistics show that nearly 86% of defendants in North Carolina are in jail—not because they have been found guilty but because they can’t afford to post bail. If you’re among the 14% who managed to get out of prison, either through cash bail or bail bond, you might as well consider yourself lucky. However, bear in mind that you were released on the condition that you appear on your scheduled court date and not commit new crimes. Thanks to your bondsman, you can be free for now. But your temporary freedom also comes with responsibilities. While waiting for trial, these are some of the things that you should do:

Settle Your Dues

Getting out through a bail bond means you can have your regular life back. It’s an excellent opportunity to spend some time with your family and to go back to work. Consider settling your remaining balance promptly, based on the terms set by your bail bond firm in Raleigh. This way, regardless of the verdict, you can tick one problem off your list.

Do Not Commit More Crimes

Getting yourself involved in another crime is the last thing you should do. This is a valid reason for the revocation of your bail and the forfeiture of your bond. Waiting for your day in court is a very crucial period. Therefore, make sure to abide by all the conditions and restrictions set by the court.

Appear on Your Scheduled Court Hearing

Failure to appear in court as ordered is another grave offense that can lead to the forfeiture of your bail bond. Court rules on bail bond forfeiture depend on the state you’re in. Grace periods offered by several states range from a week to up to a year. Meanwhile, in North Carolina, here’s what will happen to you if you fail to appear in court:

• You can be arrested for violating pretrial release conditions.
  • In this case, the presiding judge will revoke your pretrial release order and issue a new order your arrest.
• You can be held in contempt of court.
  • If your failure to appear is proven to be willful, you can be held in contempt for disobeying summons or order to appear.
• You can be charged criminally with failure to appear (FTA).
  • You might face a Class I felony or a Class 2 misdemeanor depending on the prior charge.

On top of these, your failure to appear in court puts your bail bondsman in jeopardy. As such, they might hire a bounty hunter or a bail enforcement agent to track and arrest you. Likewise, 15% of the full bail amount will go the bondsman, and you will be required once again to pay the total amount of the bail. Overall, waiting for your trial day can surely bring about too much stress and anxiety. Nonetheless, this does not give you a valid reason to violate the bail conditions set by the court or break more laws. Follow these tips to ensure smooth processing of your case.