When Georgia residents have been accused of a crime, they may need to post bond before being released from jail. They or their loved ones use bail bonding companies in Clayton County to help secure the funds necessary for their release. What is bail bond and how does it work? Keep reading to find out more information.
What is Bail?
Individuals charged with a crime will remain in jail until they have their trial unless a judge provides a bail option for them. Simply put, bail is a court-determined amount of money that, when paid, will allow an individual to be released from jail until their trial. For example, if bail is set at $10,000, then an accused person will be released from jail once they can pay $10,000 to the court for their release. If the accused individual does not return to court when required, they will forfeit the bail money.
How does a Bail Bond Work?
Court bail is usually set at a high amount because they want to compel the accused individual to return to court. However, average people do not have significant amounts of cash laying around to be used for bail. They can get a bail bondsman to help them post bail. The bail bonding company makes a profit by charging a non-refundable percentage of the bail, usually around 10%, to help the family post the bail. A bail bonding company may require collateral to be placed with the company to receive funding. If the individual fails to show up for any required court appearances, the bail bonding company will work to track the individual down, arrest them, and make them show up at court.
Is the Money Returned?
The court releases bail once an individual has satisfied all of their required court appearances. Money is released regardless of a conviction or acquittal. If a bail bonding company was used to secure bail, they would release any refundable amounts and collateral shortly after receiving notification from the judge that the case has ended. Each bonding company will have their own policies and procedures surrounding the release of funds and collateral. Be sure to understand their policies on the front-end to avoid any surprises later on. For more information about bail bonding Companies in Clayton County, contact Free At Last Bail Bonds.
