If you are helping out a family member or friend who needs bail money, you may be wondering if you will get the bail money back if the person you are helping is found guilty. This is clearly not the result you are hoping for, but it helps to be prepared.
When Do You Get Bail Money Back?
When a person goes to jail, the judge overseeing the case will likely set a bail amount. This allows the defendant to post bail to avoid staying in prison while they wait for their trial. The bail is put into place to ensure a defendant will appear in court on their scheduled dates. If they skip those dates, they will not get their money back. Added to that, the court will issue a warrant for their arrest. Click here to learn more about the consequences of skipping out on bail.
To help the person who needs bail, you need to know what that amount will be and when it is due. The longer it takes to get the money, the longer your loved one will have to stay in jail. Thankfully, there are two ways to post bail.
Pay the Full Bail Amount to the Court
If the bail amount is $8,000, for example, then you or your loved one will have to pay the full amount for the defendant to leave jail while they await their trial. Even if found guilty, you will get a full refund. There are cases where a portion of the bail money will go towards legal fees, but that depends on the situation. Before posting bail, you should talk with your loved one’s lawyer to figure out the process before moving forward.
Pay a Portion of the Amount to a Bail Bondsman Who Then Pays the Full Amount to the Court
If you do not have enough money to cover the entire bail amount, you can work with a bail bondsman, like Gibson Bail Bonds. They will charge you a nonrefundable percentage of the entire bail amount and then cover the rest for you. If the bail amount is $8,000, for example, the bail bondsman may ask you to pay their fee of $800, leaving them to pay the other $7,200 to the court. This will allow your loved one to leave jail while they wait for their trial.
The bondsman may ask you to put something down as collateral, such as your car. If your loved one skips a court date, the bondsman will not get their money back. In that case, they would take your car, allowing them to get a return on their investment. This is to deter your loved one from skipping their court dates because the bail bondsman would lose their money, and you would lose your car.
At the end of the trial, even if your friend or loved one is found guilty, the court will return the full bail amount. In this case, because the bail bondsman fronted the money, the money will go back to them. The nonrefundable fee you paid to them remains with them. Thankfully, you didn’t have to make a full payment for the bail, and your loved one still got to stay out of jail while they waited for their trial.
Still Have Questions?
If you need help deciding what the best option is for you and your loved one, please do not hesitate to contact Gibson Bail Bonds. We offer bail bonds in several counties throughout Pennsylvania and can answer any questions that you may have. You want to do what’s best for your loved one, and we want to help.
