How Long After Posting Bail Is the Defendant Released in Burlington NC? 

1. Jail Workload and Staff Availability

The efficiency of the jail’s operations significantly impacts the release time. Factors include:

• Time of Day: Jails are busier during evenings, weekends, shift changes, and holidays, which may slow down processing times.
• Number of Arrests: High arrests, especially during local events or holidays, can delay release times due to a backlog in processing.
• Staff Availability: Limited staff at smaller facilities or during late hours or shift change may slow the release process.
• First Appearance (Court): If the defendant is not bonded prior to their first appearance (typically the morning after an arrest) the jail cannot release them until both the defendant and their paperwork return from court. The jail cannot release someone until they are certain whether the bond amount or conditions were changed by the judge.

2. Paperwork Processing

Once bail is posted, the jail must complete specific administrative tasks before the defendant can be released:

• • Verification of Bail: The jail ensures the bail bond is valid and properly filed on the Appearance Bond form. At the Alamance jail this is done via a magistrate. It may take the magistrate time to process the release order if they are busy.
  • Updating Records: Jail records must reflect the defendant’s release status, which involves multiple checks and approvals, especially if the defendant has gone to court that day and the conditions of the bond may have been changed.
  • Fingerprint Check: Once the bail bond has been posted, the jail is required to run the defendant through one final national database check prior to release to ensure that there are no other outstanding warrants or immigration detainers that they jail may have missed when booking the defendant, or may have been issued after the defendant was booked. If another warrant is discovered, there will be an additional bond set for that charge as long as the warrant is a North Carolina warrant. However, this will lengthen the process as the bondsman now has another bond to post. If an out of state warrant or immigration detainer is discovered then the defendant could be held for extradition to the other jurisdiction or Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

• Personal Property: If there are no new warrants then the final step will be collecting the belongings the defendant entered the facility with, including their clothing. This is the final step before release and does not usually take very long, but the jail always asks you to confirm that everything a defendant entered the facility with has been returned to them.

3. Type of Bail Posted

The method of posting bail affects how quickly it is processed:

• Cash Bail: Payments made directly to the magistrate are often processed slightly faster than bond services since fewer third parties are involved.
• Surety Bonds: Using a bail bondsman can add some processing time as it involves coordination between the bondsman, the jail, and the co-signer(s).
• Property Bonds: These can take longer to process as they involve additional legal and verification steps.

4. Accuracy of Information

Providing accurate and complete information to the jail and bondsman ensures faster processing. Delays can occur if:

• The defendant’s name, date of birth, or other identifying information is incorrect.
• The payer or bondsman submits incomplete or incorrect paperwork.
• The bondsman was not made aware of key information prior to posting such as the defendant’s bond conditions, if the defendant was surrendered by another bondsman, if the defendant failed to appear, or if the charges are from another county.

5. Pending Charges or Warrants

If the defendant has other pending charges or outstanding warrants, this can delay their release:

• Holds from Other Jurisdictions: If the defendant is wanted in another jurisdiction, the jail may place a hold on their release. Fortunately, Apex Bail Bonds has bail bondsmen in many nearby counties throughout the area.
• Additional Bail Requirements: If multiple charges exist, bail may need to be posted for each charge, extending processing time. These are often in the form of Fugitive Bonds. Apex Bail Bonds specializes in posting out of state bonds and fugitive bonds with agents licensed in multiple states! Reach out to our Burlington bondsmen if you have any questions about fugitive bonds.

6. Court-Imposed Conditions

In some cases, the court may impose additional conditions for release, such as:

• • Electronic Monitoring: Setting up ankle monitors or other tracking devices can take extra time. 
  • Domestic Violence: If the alleged crime involves domestic violence, North Carolina mandates that the jail must hold the defendant for 48-hours prior to the release.

• Pretrial Conditions: Occasionally, a judge may order certain requirements that have to be done prior to release. Examples include psychological evaluations or submitting to a DNA swab.

7. Communication Between Parties

Effective communication between the bail bondsman, the jail, and the payer minimizes delays. Miscommunication or delays in transmitting payment and paperwork can extend the release timeline.

8. Size and Resources of the Jail Facility

You would think larger, more modern facilities would have more streamlined processes, but this is not the case. Typically, the larger the facility is the longer the release time is. This is because the facility is processing so many inmates at any given time. This is why your bondsman may advise you to avoid posting the bond during certain timeframes.

9. Jail Policies and Procedures

Each jail has its procedures for processing releases, which can affect the timeline:

• Shift Changes: Releases will be delayed during shift changes when jail staff transitions occur.
• Inmate Issues: If an emergency occurs, or even during the scheduled meal time for inmates there may be less staff available to process releases.
• Policy-Related Delays: Some jails have mandatory waiting periods for certain offenses or require supervisors to review all releases.