Bail Bond Fairness Act of 2001

H.R. 2734, the Bail Bond Fairness Act of 2001, proposes a change to the federal criminal code regarding when a defendant’s bail money or property can be taken by the government. Under this bill, a judge would only be allowed to order the forfeiture of a bail bond if the defendant fails to appear in court as required. This means that if a defendant violates other minor "collateral" conditions of their release—such as missing a check-in or traveling outside a restricted area—they could still face legal penalties, but their financial bail bond would not be seized.