Failure to Appear BAIL BONDS
Dallas County, Texas
A failure-to-appear (bail jumping) charge in Dallas County means you now face two bonds at Lew Sterrett Justice Center — one for the original offense and one for the FTA — and your prior bond is typically forfeited. Act Quick Bail Bonds handles these stacked-bond cases every week and can often coordinate a voluntary surrender with pre-arranged bonds so the time in custody is minimized. Whether the missed court date was for a misdemeanor or felony, our licensed agents work 24/7. Call (214) 744-1414 to start the process.
Failure to Appear in Dallas County
- Statute
- Texas Penal Code §38.10 (bail jumping and failure to appear)
- Classification
- Same level as the underlying charge
- Statutory Penalty
- Class C Misdemeanor if the underlying offense was fine-only. Class A Misdemeanor if the underlying offense was a misdemeanor punishable by jail. 3rd-Degree Felony if the underlying offense was a felony.
- Escalation / Notes
- Filed as a new and separate charge in addition to the original offense — defendants face two bonds, and the original bond is typically forfeited.
Failure to appear in court under Texas Penal Code §38.10, also known as bail jumping, occurs when a defendant released on bond intentionally fails to appear as required. This is a separate criminal offense — a Class A misdemeanor if the original charge was a misdemeanor, or a third-degree felony if the original charge was a felony. In Dallas County, failure to appear triggers a bench warrant, potential forfeiture of the original bond, and a new charge with its own bond requirement. The defendant now faces two bonds: one for the original charge and one for the failure to appear. Dallas County magistrates view FTA history negatively when setting future bonds, and defendants with prior failures to appear face significantly higher bond amounts and stricter conditions on all subsequent charges.
How Failure to Appear Bonds Work
Arrest & Booking
After an arrest on failure to appear charges in Dallas County, the defendant is transported to Lew Sterrett Justice Center for booking. Personal information, fingerprints, and photographs are recorded before the magistration process.
Magistration
A Dallas County magistrate reviews the failure to appear charge and sets a bond amount based on the severity of the offense, criminal history, and flight risk. Bond schedules for failure to appear cases vary depending on specific circumstances of the arrest.
Bond Posted
Once the bond amount is set, a licensed bail bond agent files the necessary paperwork with Dallas County. Act Quick Bail Bonds handles all documentation and coordination with the jail to expedite the release process.
Release
After the bond is posted and processed, the defendant is released from custody. Release timelines vary based on current facility conditions and volume.
Initial Check-In — Required
Within 24 to 72 hours of release, the defendant must report to our office for a mandatory initial check-in. We review all court dates, bond conditions, and reporting requirements. Failure to complete this check-in results in bond forfeiture and a new warrant for the defendant's arrest.