If you were released from released from custody on bail and failed to return to court for a scheduled court appearance then you can be charged with the criminal offense of "bail jumping." The offense of bail jumping in Utah is charged under Section 76-8-312.
Under Utah Code § 76-8-312, the crime of bail jumping can be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor depending on the underlying criminal charge. Bail jumping is often called “skipping bail.” Criminal defense attorneys sometimes jokingly call it "taking the Grey Hound defense."
The bottom line is that you should never miss a court date. If you did, act quickly so that you can fight for the best possible result in your case and avoid additional penalties for bail jumping.
If you failed to appear in court, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Salt Lake City, UT, to discuss ways to resolve the failure to appear warrant. We can help you find ways to avoid a new change for bail jumping and resolve the underlying criminal offense by fighting for the best possible terms.
The criminal defense attorneys at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat, LLP are experienced in representing clients charged with a wide range of criminal charges throughout Salt Lake City and the surrounding areas in Utah.
After being released on bail, you are required to go to court for any future court dates. The failure to appear in court can lead to charges for bail jumping under Utah Code § 76-8-312. The criminal charge of bail jumping requires proof that you did not have “just cause” for the failure to appear in court.
In some cases, a medical emergency or other unavoidable event caused the failure to appear. In those cases, the offense can not be proven. Other important defenses apply under Utah law.
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If the underlying charge is a misdemeanor, then bail jumping is charged as a class B misdemeanor which is punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
If the underlying charge is a felony, then the bail-jumping is charged as a third-degree felony which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
The penalties can be imposed in addition to any penalties imposed on the underlying charge.
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Under Utah Code § 77-7-22, failure to appear is a misdemeanor. The statute provides:
Any person who willfully fails to appear before a court pursuant to a citation issued under the provisions of Section 77-7-18 is guilty of a class B misdemeanor, regardless of the disposition of the charge upon which he was originally cited.
One of the most common reasons that a warrant is issued is because of a failure to appear in court. Judges are often willing to withdraw the warrant for failing to appear in court after the appropriate motions are filed by the criminal defense attorney and assurances are made that no additional problems with occur with coming to court when required.
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If you failed to appear in court, then contact an experienced criminal defense attorney in Salt Lake City, Utah. Don't compound the error by getting additional charges for bail jumping.
The definition of bail jumping is failing to appear in court after being given proper notice of the pending court date for the purpose of avoiding a trial and a possible conviction and sentence for the crime.
The attorneys at Brown, Bradshaw & Moffat, LLP represent clients with outstanding arrest warrants throughout Salt Lake County, Utah County, Cache County, Tooele County, Summit County, Box Elder County, Davis County and Wasatch County, Utah. We can help you resolve your outstanding warrant in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah.
We can help you after a failure to appear in court. Let us put our experience to work for you. Call (801) 532-5297 today to discuss your case.
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