Failing to appear for a court proceeding related to a felony charge is more severe. California is one of the many states that treat failure to appear as a felony if the original charge was also a felony. California Penal Code 1320.5 PC makes it a crime to skip court if: the offense was a felony, and you were released from custody on bail. Violations carry up to: up to 3 years in county jail or state prison, and/or $10,000 in fines. Additionally, if you had been released on bail, failing to appear will likely lead to the forfeiture of the bond.