In one of our previous posts, Getting a Bond in Okaloosa County, we discussed how bond decisions are made and explained what happens at First Appearance and at Bond Hearings. This post will explain the different types of bonds and how they are paid once the bond is set.
What are the different ways a bond can be paid in Okaloosa County?
(1) Released on your own recognizance (ROR)
With this type of bond, the person is allowed to “sign themselves out” and their signature acts as a promise to appear in court. If the Judge sets an ROR bond, you are not required to post any money in order to be released. However, if you do not appear for court, you could be held in jail without bond.
(2) Signature Bond
A family member or loved one is allowed to sign the person out of jail with the promise that you will appear for your court dates. In some cases, the family member must agree to a specific monetary amount that they will pay if you don’t show up for court.
(3) Cash Bond
The family member or loved one posts the entire amount of the bond in cash. This amount is held until the case is over. As long as you appear for your court dates, the cash bond is refunded. If any court costs or fines are imposed in your case, the Judge will apply the cash bond to those costs. If there is any of the cash bond amount remaining, the balance will be refunded to the depositor of the cash bond.
(4) Professional Bond
This is often used when the amount of the bond set is high. With a professional bond, a bail bondsman is hired to bond the person out of jail. In exchange for this service, the bondsman will require a percentage of the bond to be paid to him or her. The most common amount is 10%. This amount is not refundable.
Example: If the person has a bond set at $10,000, the family member would give $1000 (10%) to the bail bondsman to get the person out of jail. The $1000 would not be refunded. As long as the person shows up for court, there wouldn’t be any more money due to the bondsman.
Contact an Okaloosa County Criminal Defense Attorney
If you or a loved one is in the Okaloosa County jail, call Flaherty & Merrifield today at (850) 243-6097 for a free consultation.
