Bail Bond FAQ

What is a Bail Bond?

A bail bond is a promise. It’s a promise from the defendant to attend all future court proceedings, it’s a promise from you that the defendant is trustworthy, and it’s a promise from the bail bondsman to serve you to the best of our ability in everything from financing to posting bail at a speedy rate.

What Are My Options?

Sometimes, though not often, a judge will rule that the defendant may be released on his/her own recognizance. This means there is total faith that the defendant will not skip any future trial dates or hearings, that they pose no threat to society at large or any individual, and that they will not in any form participate in any other criminal activity.
In a regular case, after a judge has set the bail amount, you can post bail one of three ways:

• Cash bond: this is when you pay the court the full bail amount upfront. While you do get it entirely reimbursed at the conclusion of the case, it can be really difficult to have that much money on such short notice. Because of this, most people turn to a bail bondsman.
• Property bond: this is when you let the court place a lien on a piece of property (i.e. your vehicle) in place of payment. The catch is that the property has to be worth more than the bail and many counties require it to be worth at least twice the bail amount. The advantage to this is as long as the defendant stays above reproach in respect to the law and attends future court dates, the lien will be removed.
• Surety bond (using a bonds agent): this is the most popular option as you end up paying around only 10% of the total bail and an experienced bondsman knows what paperwork you’ll need and how to get it processed fast. 

If the defendant fails to appear at his/her court dates OR fails to adhere to the conditions tied to his/her release, the bail posted is subject to forfeiture – you will not be reimbursed however much you paid. Both the bail bonds agents and the police will also find and bring in the defendant, who will have to remain in jail for the remainder of court proceedings.

How Long Does it Take for Release after Bail Has Been Posted?

There is a basic bail assigned to every charge upon the initial booking of a suspect. It is at the arraignment later where a judge decides to either raise the bail, lower the bail, remove the option of bail, or release the defendant (former suspect) on their own recognizance. The arraignment occurs within 48 hours of arrest (discounting weekends and federal holidays) but bail can be posted as soon as the defendant has finished being booked. In that case, it only takes minutes for the bail bonds agent to locate your loved one, call the jail, and give them the information they need. At that point, is up to the discretion of the jail and their rate of efficiency which decides when your defendant will be released. After the paperwork has been pushed through, it can take anywhere from 1-4 hours.

What Will Bail Cost?

If you decide to post a cash bond, then you will be paying every cent of the bail assigned to your defendant. If you choose to use a Double "O" Bonding agent, then you will only pay a small fraction of the bail you need. Typically, the fee is 10% of the total bail. Then the bail bondsmen post the rest with the court. The cost to your loved one sitting in jail for using a bail bondsman will be priceless as it will save them any spare second spent behind bars. You and your loved one want them released immediately, and using a bail bonds advocate will get them out fast.

Why Use Double "O" Bonding?

Our team of bail bond agents knows what we’re doing. We know what you’re going through and our goal is to make this strange process as simple, fast, and straightforward as possible. You may be feeling stressed and scared and that’s where we come in. Our friendly professionals can navigate the system your loved one has just been thrown into and we are here to help you pull them back out.

Remember, we are open 24/7, seven days a week. Call us now at 706-353-6467. If you have questions beyond this Bail Bond FAQ for Jefferson, GA, we have the answers waiting for you. We are ready to work for you and get your loved one home. Contact us for help beyond frequently asked questions.