Art. 22.01 BAIL FORFEITED, WHEN

If someone charged with a crime is released on bail, they promise to show up in court whenever they're required to. If they miss a court date or don't show up when a judge or magistrate needs them to, the court can declare their bail forfeited. This means the money or property put up for bail can be taken away as a penalty for not showing up.

The court has to follow specific steps, laid out in Article 22.02, to officially declare the bail forfeited. This isn't automatic just because someone misses a court date. The judge has to make a formal ruling and enter it into the court record before the bail is actually forfeited.

For anyone who put up bail money or signed a bail bond for a defendant, this rule is a warning. If the defendant skips court, the bail can be lost. This is why people who sign bail bonds often work hard to make sure the defendant shows up to every required court date.