Where Does The Bail Money Go?
Bail is cash or property an arrested person gives or pays to the court that serves a dual purpose; the defendant can go home and wait for his/her court date there and the court receives the money to incentivize the arrested to make sure that they show up for their court date.
Bail money can go as high up as a million dollars for the most serious of crimes, that’s why the people of Brownsville hire the professionals at Billy’s Brownsville Bail Bonds to help with their legal needs and significantly reduce the amount an arrested person needs to pay. The court receives hundreds of thousands of dollars in bail money every month, but the question is: where does the bail money go?
What is Bail?
Bail is money or property the person is given in exchange for his or her appearance at a scheduled court date. If the defendant chooses not to give property then the bail money needed to be paid to the court depends on the severity of the crime committed.
In Texas, there is no hard and fast rule about how much money can be posted for bail. This is where the specialty of Billy’s Brownsville Bail Bonds comes into play, the company’s legal experts can research what crime the person is accused of committing and the specific jail or courthouse that he/she will be held in to determine how much money can be posted.
The amount for misdemeanors is usually below $5,000 while it will range from $5,000 – $20,000 for more serious crimes. The bail bond money needed for murder suspects begins at a million dollars.
What Are The Benefits of Hiring a Bail Bondsman?
There are two main benefits in hiring a bail bondsman:
- First of all, most people do not have thousands of dollars in extra money to use to bail themselves or their loved ones out of jail. For that reason, we offer our services to help you pay the full amount of your bail for a small fee, usually 10% – 15% of the total bail amount.
- The second benefit of hiring a bail bondsman or bondswoman is the fact that the bond company has invested heavily in learning how to solve bail-related problems. Billy’s Brownsville Bail Bonds professionals will assist you with whatever court-related dilemma you might have. Communication with court representatives and making sure you show up at your designated court date.
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Where Does Bail Money Go?
As with everything in the legal world, there is a bail process to follow.
When a person is arrested, the officer will take the suspect to the police station to get booked. The officer will go through the details of the crime and will determine whether your bail can be set right away (usually for less serious crimes) but for more serious crimes, bail will be determined by a judge within 24 – 72 hours.
Once the accused has posted the bail, the court system will hold onto the bail bond money until such time that that accused has complied with all the requirements of the court. Discharge from all crimes is not necessary for the bail to be returned, the only condition is that the defendant shows up at all court dates.
In the event that the accused does not show up on his/her designated court date, the court will not return the bail money. The judge will then issue a judicial declaration. This is called forfeiture of bail and the money will then be distributed to the county, the city, or the entire state according to the Penal Code of the State of Texas.
How to Refund Bail Money
The people of Brownsville can get a refund of the bail they paid to the court only if they paid the amount in full by themselves without the help of bail agents. The refund will take around six to ten weeks after the final court date.
Billy’s Brownsville Bail Bonds provide you a service that expedites the entire process in order to have your bail posted and to deliver your freedom. Check out the benefits of bail bonds.