What is one potential outcome if a defendant fails to appear in court?

If a defendant fails to appear in court, one significant potential outcome is that a warrant for their arrest may be issued. This action is taken because the court views a failure to appear as a serious violation of the conditions of release. By skipping the scheduled court date, the defendant is essentially disregarding the legal process, which prompts the judge to take punitive measures to ensure compliance in the future. Issuing a warrant serves to bring the defendant back into custody to address both the original charges and the failure to appear.

The other possible outcomes do not typically result from non-appearance. The bail bondsman is usually not required to return fees when a defendant misses court, the charges against the defendant do not get automatically dropped, and the case is definitely not dismissed simply because of a no-show. Instead, the court's response actively pursues the defendant to uphold the law and its processes.