If you were arrested and charged with a crime, you may find yourself in need of a bail bond company. A bail bond company charges you a percentage of your bail amount, and in exchange, they post your bond and get you out of jail. But in some cases, some people find that the charges against them are dropped or dismissed after they post bond. If you are in this position, you may have many questions, including whether you can get your bond money back. Here is a bit of information in regards to dismissals and bail bonds.
Can You Get Bail Money Back if the Charges Against You Are Dismissed?
Unfortunately, you cannot get your money back from a bail bonds company if the charges against you are dismissed or dropped once bond has been posted on your behalf. In addition to not receiving the money back, if you are still on a payment plan with the bond company to pay off your bond amount, you are still legally required to pay off this debt, even if charges are dismissed or dropped.
Why Can't You Get Your Bail Money Back if the Charges Are Dropped?
When the courts grant you the ability of bailing yourself out of jail, you have the option of posting the full bail amount with the courts or using a bail bond company. For example, if your bail is set at $5000, you can post $5000 with the courts to get out of jail, or you can post a percentage of the bail amount, typically 10 percent, with a bail company for them to post bail on your behalf—so in this case, you would pay the bail company $500.
If you post bail on your own with the courts, you will receive your money back from the courts. You receive the full amount back, less any processing fees, once your case is resolved. This includes charges being dismissed or dropped, accepting a plea deal, being found not guilty or being sentenced. When you use a bail bond company, they are charging you a fee for their service. This money is not refundable to you, as the company has completed their service and posted bail for you. The charges being dismissed or dropped is out of their hand, and this is why you do not receive the money back.
If you have found yourself arrested and charged with a crime, you may be looking to bail yourself out of jail. If you decide to use a bail bonds company, it is important to know that the money is never refundable or returnable unless the bail company never posts bond on your behalf. This includes if the charges against you are dismissed or dropped. To learn more about bail bonds, check out websites like http://www.abailnowbailbonds.com.
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