In a civil forfeiture hearing, the government must prove by a “preponderance of the evidence” the property is legally subjected to be forfeited, which means it was gained from criminal activity, or that the property was involved in an illegal transaction.
A bail is forfeited when a defendant fails to appear, without sufficient excuse, for arraignment, trial, judgment, or any occasion prior to the pronouncement of judgment if the defendant's presence in court is legally required, or if the defendant fails to surrender in execution of the judgment after appeal.
Bond forfeiture means that the person loses the guarantee made by the bail bond company on their behalf. There are some circumstances in which the judge might excuse the accused for missing court and bail or bond can be reinstated.
If you start communication with both your bondsman and the court as soon as possible, your court date will, in most cases, be reset, and the forfeiture of your bond will be recalled. However, if you do not get back in touch with your bondsman or the courts, the warrant for your arrest will remain active.
The legal implications of bail bond forfeiture can be severe. Beyond the financial loss, the defendant may face additional charges for failing to appear in court, complicating their legal situation.
(a) If a defendant who was released under Part 1 of this Article upon execution of a bail bond fails on any occasion to appear before the court as required, the court shall enter a forfeiture for the amount of that bail bond in favor of the State against the defendant and against each surety on the bail bond.