When someone is arrested, he is promptly taken to jail, where he is kept until produced to court. In the courtroom, the judge decides a bail amount that the defendant must pay to get out of jail. Now, depending on the severity of the case, the amount can be considerably high. But this money grants one freedom to go out into the world and prepare for his trial. Studies show that people, who get bail and hire private lawyers, tend to win the trial compared to those who depend on public attorneys. Now, one might wonder what happens to the bail money posted earlier, before the hearing. Does the court take the sum? Or is it the Government that utilizes the bail money? Continue reading this article to find out more about the different methods of posting bail.
Cash Bail
This is the simplest form of the bail process and easy to understand. When a judge decides a bail for a defendant, he must pay the whole amount in cash. Once he posts the bail money to the court, he is good to walk out of the jail system.
- Once the defendant completes the trial process without skipping bail, he is reimbursed his full bail sum. Thus, whether the trial goes in his favor or not, he will have a full refund of his bail money if he completes the trial process without violating any court rules. However, if he decides to skip his trial or try to flee somewhere else, he will face severe consequences.
- One trying to escape the trial is promptly arrested, and his bail is revoked. He will most likely lose his bail money because he violated the court orders. Now, one must note that paying thousands of dollars as bail is not a cakewalk. Not everyone can afford to do it. Therefore, cash bail is only popular with the rich and the famous.
Surety Bail Bond
Since cash bail is not something that one can afford, there is a new system that plays a vital role in securing the safety of a defendant. In California, a new law was introduced a while ago to ensure that no defendant should be denied bail based on his financial condition.
- People who cannot pay a high bail amount often opt for surety bail bond services. In California, there are county-specific bail services to help defendants secure a fast bail. For example, Huntington Beach bail bonds agencies help thousands of defendants each year get a hassle-free bail that allows them to reunite with their families.
- The accused pays only ten percent of the whole bail amount to the bail bondsmen as a non-refundable fee. The surety bond is a much cheaper option compared to the surety bail bond and is often preferred by many.
Property Bond
It often happens that a person is unable to pay the bail money, so they put their property as collateral for the bail sum. As expected, this type of bond is very similar to cash bonds. Once the trial ends, the property is given back to its rightful owner. If, however, one fails to show up for a trial, the property is seized.
