Being accused of a crime is scary and a traumatic experience, and you or your loved one will want to be in jail for as little time as possible. So, you may be wondering what a bail bond is and what common terms of bail bonds you will come across during the bail bonds process. Thanks to the bail bonds, you can still regain some freedom and normalcy while you await the trial.

What Is A Bail Bond?

A Bail Bond is a type of surety bond provided by a bail bond company through a bail agent or Bail Bondsman that secures the release of a defendant from jail.

How Do Bail Bonds Work?

Once a person is arrested, they get a hearing date and a set amount for their bail. If the defendant cannot pay the bail amount on their own, they can seek help from a Bail bondsman in the form of a Bail Bond. Once bail is posted by the bail bondsman, it’s a matter of ensuring the accused turns up at all necessary court appearances. Our Acts Now bail bond agent can step in to help here as your friend.

If the defendant skips the court appearances: The Bail Bond is forfeited. However, the court requires the remaining 90% of the bail amount. The Bail Bondsman will use the defendant’s collateral to pay the court the remaining bail amount.

If the defendant appears in court: Once the case concludes, the bail bond dissolves, and the collateral returns to the person who posts the bail. The bail bondsman keeps the 10% cash fee as his profit.

Common Bail Bonds Terms

Appearance Bond

The accused or his family/friends deposits 10% of the bail amount from their own money. When the case ends, the court pays 90% of the amount.

Bail

Bail means releasing someone from jail after they have been arrested for committing a crime. It may involve monetary or non-monetary conditions. The defendant should abide while out of police custody.

Cash Bond

A cash bond is money the defendant himself or his family/friends pay from their pocket. In this type of bond, usually, the individual pays the amount to secure release from jail. A cash bond is the simple type of payment where the accused pays the full bail amount to the court in the form of cash. 

Collateral

Collateral is a property that the defendant or his loved ones put up when securing a bail bond. This allows bail bond company to recover their funds if the defendant fails to appear in court for hearings.

Conditions of bail

The court sets terms of release to ensure public safety. It also ensures that the defendant attends court whenever required. These conditions can be financial, where the accused or their loved one must pay money for the release from jail. The conditions can also be non-financial like travel restrictions or house arrest etc.,

Defendant

A person arrested for an alleged criminal offense

Exoneration

Exoneration means the defendant’s release from the liabilities associated with the bond. Once the defendant successfully fulfills the bail conditions and the case concludes, the bail is exonerated.

Forfeiture

When the defendant fails to appear in court, the bond is forfeit. The courts retain the money the defendant paid for the release.

Indemnitor

An Indemnitor is a co-signer for the bail bond.

Pretrial Detention

Pretrial Detention is when a defendant is held in police custody after an arrest before the case ends. One may remain in Detention if the bail is denied or they cannot post the bail.

Pretrial Release

Pretrial Release means being free from police custody while the criminal case is still pending.

Surety Bond

A surety bond is secured through a bail bond agency. The defendant or his family/family pay a 10% non-refundable fee for the surety.

Conclusion,

Acts Now Bail Bonds is a professional bail bonds corporation with licensed bail bond agents available 24 hours a day throughout Colorado. We offer fast and easy bail solutions to individuals needing assistance. You will come across some new and unfamiliar terms during the bail bonds process, which may add confusion to an already complicated system.