A Simple Guide to Understanding the 5 Primary Types of Bail Bond

On average, there are nearly 400,000 arrests in North Carolina on a yearly basis.

Many of these arrests find those in question facing jail time. And no matter the length, a night or months, no one wants to be spending time behind bars.

Understanding the bail process is incredibly important if you or a loved one find themselves in trouble with the authorities. Getting one out of custody can be difficult and complicated. Knowing the different types of bail bonds available to you can be greatly helpful in navigating the process.

Below, we’ll walk you through the 5 main types of bail bond and what you need to know about them.

1. Cash Bail

You’re probably familiar with the concept of cash bail, as it is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a bail fee paid in cash.

To get a loved one out, they will need to have access to the amount of cash as set by the corrections department. In many cases, cash is the only form of payment that will be accepted: credit card payments, checks, and other forms of payment will be rejected.

Cash bail amounts vary depending on the severity of a crime. Serious crimes may have such high bail requirements that paying by cash would be near impossible, though this process has begun to come under some political scrutiny.

2. Surety Bond

Known more commonly as a bail bond, a surety bond is used when the accused can’t afford to pay bail on their own. Surety bonds are provided by bail bondsmen, who use their reputation with the legal system and their relationship with insurance companies to cover the bail for accused parties.

A loved one will need to contact a bail bondsman to get the process going. They will need to provide 10% or the bond as well as some sort of collateral, and the accused must appear in court to receive back the collateral.

3. Property Bond

In some cases, the accused may be able to turn over the mortgage to their home or real estate in exchange for bail. In this situation, the full rights of the property are used as collateral.

Property bonds generally take much longer to obtain than other types of bonds, as the property in question needs to be assessed.

4. Federal Bail Bonds

If the crime in question is at a federal level, federal bail bonds may be used. The process for this type of bond goes directly through the court, and a bail bondsman is not typically used.

Cash and property rights can be used to obtain this type of bond. As most arrests don’t reach the federal level, a federal bail bond is less common.

5. Release on Citation

In some instances, a police officer won’t bring in an accused party at all. Instead, they will issue a citation that states when the accused must appear in court. This may occur when a crime committed is not that serious, and allows the police to focus their time on more serious matters.

If you’re released on citation, you won’t need to post a cash bail or secure one from another source.

Types Of Bail Bond

Facing time is never a fun prospect. The complicated process of posting bail doesn’t make the experience any easier. Knowing the types of bail bond available to you can ensure you’re taking the proper steps forward to a safe release.

Check out our blog for more pertinent bail bond information and advice.