Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

Re: bailbonds

I bonding company pledges the bond for you and you pay them 10% of the bond amount which you don't get back. The bonding company is on the hook if the defendant does not appear back in court and the bondsman cannot find him/her.

*If money is a concern it is worth considering hiring an attorney before posting a bond. The first thing the attorney can do is file for a bond hearing and attempt to lower the bond amount.

Re: bailbonds

There are surety bonds and cash bonds. A surety bond is done with a bondsman. Normally he charges 10% of the bond ( ie. 500 dollars for a 5000 dollar bond plus collateral. Once the defendant finishes the cases with no failure to appears he keeps the 500 as his fee but returns the collateral. A cash bond is a bond paid in full by the defendant and returned in full once the case is closed with no failures to appear.