What is forfeiture of bail?

• A. A rate charged for bail bonds
• B. The balance in the bank
• C. Loss of bail if accused fails to appear.
• D. Remission of bail

Answer: (C)

Forfeiture of bail happens when the person who posted bail does not show up for a court hearing. The bail money or property was put up to guarantee that the defendant would appear in court, and the court keeps that money as a penalty or to cover the costs of the absence. If a bail bondsman posted the bail, the court may keep the amount and the bondsman then has to pay that amount to the court and may try to recover it from the defendant or other parties who signed for the defendant. This term specifically describes losing the posted bail due to failing to appear.

The other options aren’t about this consequence: a rate charged for bail bonds is the premium a bondsman charges, not what happens when the defendant misses an appearance; the balance in the bank is just money in an account; remission of bail would be forgiveness or reduction of the bail, not the automatic loss of bail for missing a court date.