You may be reading this because someone you love is behind bars and you’re frantic to get them out of jail.
Once arrested, a person needs to get booked and appear before a judge in hopes that the judge will allow bail for release.
If your loved one has been granted bail, you just need to come up with the funds to get them out. You could pay a cash bail yourself to the court and they’d be out right away.
But for many people, they don’t have large amounts of cash at their disposal for situations like this. Then you need to seek the help of a bail bondsman to get your loved one out.
Are you wondering what’s involved with going to a bail bondsman and what it means to secure a surety bond? Read on to learn the differences between a cash bond and a surety bond.
What Is a Cash Bond?
A cash bond is pretty straightforward. As the name suggests, it’s paying the court cash to get someone released from jail.
Once the judge names bail and the amount, cash can get paid directly to the court to secure the release of the accused. The money is paid as a security to make sure this person shows up for court dates going forward.
If they don’t show up, the person who paid the cash bond could lose their money. If they do show up and the case is either settled or closed, then the cash bond minus court fees can be returned.
Most courts will accept cash, debit cards, or credit cards to pay a cash bond.
What Is a Surety Bond?
A surety bond can also get your loved one out of jail, it’s just a little more complicated. If you’re unable to come up with the cash to post bail, then you can go to a bail bondsman for assistance.
Instead of paying the court directly to secure the release, you pay the bail bonds company, which is a surety company. They pay the court to secure the release of your loved one using surety bond insurance.
The bail bonds company will require some cash upfront to secure the bail. This is considered a premium fee. They might also require some type of collateral.
Once paid to the bail bond company, then they can go to the court to pay the surety bond. If the accused doesn’t show up for their assigned court dates, then the collateral and cash you paid would be lost.
Cash Bond vs. Surety Bond
Both a cash bond and a surety bond will get a person released from jail on bail. Who pays the bail and how the bail gets paid are what make them different.
In both cases, if the accused skips out or doesn’t show up for court dates, the money paid on their behalf could get forfeited.
Cash Bail or Surety Bond?
Paying a cash bail might be faster and easier. Most people don’t have access to large sums of cash to post bail with cash.
If you need help posting bail and want to discuss the possibility of a surety bond, we can help. Contact us today so we can help you post bail for your loved one.
