You have no experience with the bail bond process and your friend or loved one is in jail waiting on you to help them post bail. For someone who has never been through the bail bond process there can a be lot of confusion and stress, but to make matters worse, there are several different types of bail bonds a judge may arrange. In Hernando County, Mercy Bail Bonds can help you navigate the bail bond process but it’s always helpful to understand some of the bond types you will encounter.
Cash Bond – Cash Bonds can be issued for many reasons, including out of jurisdictional warrants, failure to pay assessed fines, missing a scheduled hearing, and for high risk defendants who are thought to have a greater risk of not appearing in court. If a cash bond is set, the full balance must be paid before the defendant is released. The balance will be refunded at the conclusion of the case; however when family, friends or the defendant post bail the court can take fines and court cost out of the balance before any refund is processed. When using a professional bail agency such as Mercy Bail Bonds, the defendant and their families have the opportunity to keep cash on hand during the court proceedings as well as make arrangements to cover the fines and court cost in incremental payments.
Percentage bond – With a percentage bond, the defendant only has to post a percentage of the total bail amount with the agreement that the rest of the bail would be paid if the defendant were to not appear in court. Professional bail agencies can help defendants post bail with percentage bonds.
Federal Bonds – Federal bonds are used when a crime is being tried in Federal U.S. district courts. Federal bonds function much like cash bonds in that the judge sets the bond amounts after determining the particulars of the case.
Immigration bonds – Immigration bonds are a federal program that allows professional bail agents to post bail for undocumented immigrants who have been detained for immigration reasons. Many but not all non-citizens are eligible for immigration bonds, which The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sets. Delivery bonds ensure that the defendant will attend all immigration hearings and voluntary departure bonds allow the defendant to voluntarily leave the country by a specified date. The bond can be paid by any person who is legally within the United States.
Property bond – depending on jurisdictions, defendants or professional bail agencies can use real property to post bail. The value of the property must match or exceed the value of the bail and if the real property is owned by multiple persons, the bail bond must be signed by all owners. Additional documentation such as proof of ownership and proof of property value may be required by the court.
Surety Bonds – with a surety bond the defendant makes a contract with the bail bondsman full bail amount. It is normal for the bondsman to interview the defendant to determine the likelihood that all court appearances will be met. Often, the contract with the bail bondsman can include additional requirements such as treatment or counselling once the defendant is out of jail.
Unsecured appearance bond – under an unsecured appearance bond the defendant signs a contract to return for court or pay a predetermined amount if they fail to appear.
Bail functions as an insurance policy for the courts that insures the appearance of the defendant for schedule court hearings but bond money can be forfeit if a Failure to Appear is issued for missing a court hearing. Typically a follow-up Forfeit Hearing will be scheduled and the defendant will have a warrant issued for their arrest. If the defendant is not found before the Forfeit Hearing the bond money is lost. If for some reason the defendant can provide a valid reason to the court for missing the scheduled court hearing the Forfeit Hearing could be cancelled, so make sure that the defendant stays in contact with the court.
At Mercy Bail Bonds, we’re available 24/7 to Hernando Country residents to get you or your loved one out of j