Can You Go to Jail for Failure to Appear in Court?

Depending on the charges against you, you may be ordered to appear in court repeatedly during a criminal case. If you fail to appear as ordered, you have violated the court order.

Failure to appear in court has consequences, and you may even face criminal charges.

In case you fail to appear in court when requested, a judge can issue a warrant for your arrest and you can be taken into custody. Furthermore, the judge can impose fines or jail sentence if you are found guilty of failure to appear in court.

The judge can also increase your bond. If the court previously released you on your own recognizance and did not require you to post a bond, the judge might change the conditions and request a bond.