Bailing a friend or family member out of jail is a selfless act that can make a significant difference to the person’s well-being and legal defense during a trial. Still, while you likely don’t mind posting a bond for a loved one in jail, a bail amount can be high. If you posted your life savings as bail, you might ask, “Do I get bail back after court?”
In this post, our team at Apex Bail Bonds discusses the conditions for bail repayment and the reasons for bail forfeiture.
What Is a Bail Bond?
After an arrest, the court may grant a defendant bail, meaning they don’t need to remain in jail while the court case against them continues. However, this pretrial release is conditional.
Before the court lets someone go, they must post a bail bond, a promise to return for the hearing. A bail bond may also involve posting some form of security, such as cash or a surety bond. In the case of a property bond, the poster must register a lien on their house.
If the defendant returns to court and complies with all pretrial release conditions, the court will pay the bail money back once the court case concludes.
Pretrial Release Conditions
When granting bail, the court outlines various conditions the defendant must follow while on bail. Under these conditions, a defendant must:
- Appear for all their court hearings
- Stay within the court’s jurisdiction or state’s geographical boundaries
- Stay away from the alleged victim or potential witnesses
- Follow all laws and refrain from committing any offenses
A court may also impose other conditions necessary to protect the community’s safety or prevent the defendant from fleeing.
How to Prevent Bail Forfeiture
If a defendant shows up for all court hearings and follows all bail conditions, the court will repay the bail they posted. Regardless of the verdict and sentence, the court will repay the bail. In other words, a guilty defendant who receives the maximum sentence can get their bail money back.
However, if a defendant fails to appear or commits an offense, the police will arrest them again. Even if the court dismisses the charge or finds the defendant not guilty of the original charge, the court will not pay the bail money back.
In this case, the defendant will also face a second charge for failure to appear, and they will have to go through the bail process again. Only this time, the bail amount will be higher because the defendant demonstrated that they are a flight risk.
If you posted bail on behalf of someone else, make sure that they follow the law and appear in court. A more practical solution is using a reputable and licensed bail bonds company, such as Apex Bail Bonds.
24/7 Bail Bonds – Speak to a Local Bail Bondsman Now
If you have a loved one in jail, let us at Apex Bail Bonds post a surety bond in exchange for an affordable fee. Using this service, you don’t need to use your savings to post bail, which means you carry no financial risks. Our team is compassionate, experienced, and available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Contact us today for a bail bond in Virginia or North Carolina.
