In order to be released from jail while awaiting trial, a defendant must post bail. Bail is a set amount of money that acts as a financial guarantee to the court that the defendant will return for their scheduled hearing. If the defendant does not show up for their hearing, the court will keep the bail money and issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest. Click here for more Apex Bail Bonds of Graham, NC, Graham

There are two main types of bail bonds: surety bonds and cash bonds. Although they both serve the same purpose, there are some key differences between the two.

Surety Bonds

A surety bond is when a professional bail bond company posts bail on behalf of the defendant. In order to obtain a surety bond, the defendant or a loved one must contact a bail agent and pay a non-refundable premium (usually 10-15% of the total bail amount). The bail agent will then post the bail on behalf of the defendant.

If the defendant fails to appear for their scheduled hearing, the court will issue a warrant for their arrest and they will forfeit their right to any collateral that was put up as part of obtaining the bail bond. The bail agent will also hire a bounty hunter to track down and bring in the defendant.

Cash Bonds

A cash bond is when the full amount of bail is paid in cash upfront to the court. If the defendant appears for all their scheduled hearings, they will get this money back at the end of the case. If they do not appear for their hearing, they forfeit this money to the court and a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

No matter which type of bond you choose, if you fail to appear for your scheduled hearing, you will forfeit your collateral (if you chose a surety bond) or your entire bail payment (if you chose a cash bond). You will also have a warrant issued for your arrest and may be subject to additional charges. To avoid all this hassle, just make sure you show up for your court date!