Bail forfeiture happens when a defendant fails to appear in court as required. The court declares the bail 'forfeited.'
When bail is forfeited, the bail bondsman has 180 days to locate the defendant and bring them to court, or pay the full bail amount.
If the defendant is found and returned to custody within this period, the forfeiture may be set aside.
If the defendant cannot be found, the co-signer becomes responsible for the full bail amount.
Collateral can be seized to cover forfeited bail. This is why attending all court dates is critically important.