You posted bond and you’re out of jail. Your Wisconsin criminal defense lawyer told you when and where to show up… but seriously, you’re out of jail.
So what’s really stopping you from heading to Florida and laying on the beach, sipping Mai Tais or margaritas and checking out the bikini scenery?
You could catch a bus south for under a hundred bucks, and before you know it, you could immerse yourself in a community somewhere south (which is pretty much anywhere from here). If you never use your real name (or Social Security number, or previous address, or anything else that ties you back to your old life) again, you can live free and happy without worrying about facing a judge, getting slapped with fines, or spending time behind bars.
Nice, right?
(Are you on your way to Florida yet?)
Of course you’re not.
Because while it’s a nice fantasy, it’s a stupid idea. It’s stupid because the odds of getting away with it aren’t in your favor. The chances that you’ll get caught and dragged back to Milwaukee in cuffs are pretty good—and once you arrive, you’ll be facing a whole new set of charges (which could be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on your situation).
Even skipping bail for a couple of weeks and heading to Waukesha or Chicago and missing one court date is enough to land you behind bars. The judge will issue a warrant for your arrest, and the police will be after you. If you think getting caught by Dog the Bounty Hunter would be bad (“Have a cigarette, brah! Don’t let that ice mess up your life, brah. It’s business in the front, party in the rear, brah.”), you haven’t had the displeasure of being hunted by these guys.
Failure to Appear in Court
When you’re granted bail, the judge lets you go because he or she believes you’ll come back. If you mess that up—even one missed court date counts—chances are pretty good that you’ll never see bail again. Bail jumping is actually a serious offense, and it’ll add to the criminal charges you’re already facing.
If your original charge was a misdemeanor, bail jumping is a Class A misdemeanor that’s punishable by up to 9 months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines.
If your original charge was a felony, bail jumping is a Class H felony that’s punishable by up to 6 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.
While Florida does sound really good (especially if you’re skipping a winter court date to go down there), do you really have an extra few years to spend in prison?
Did You Miss a Court Date in Wisconsin?
No matter why you missed court, whether it was a good reason or a not-so-good reason (going to the beach is not a good reason in the court’s eyes), our team of Wisconsin bail jumping lawyers may be able to help you.
Call us at 414-383-6700 for a free consultation as soon as possible. The sooner you call us, the sooner we can start developing a strategy that helps your case.
