Booking Information and Bond Definitions

Bond

• A bond is set according to a Judge; Court ordered warrant or a Bond Commissioner. The purpose of the bond is to assure an individuals appearance in court. The amount of the bond is what it will take to release an individual from jail.

Bond Commissioner

• Are agents of the court that, in some cases, may set Bonds for new arrestees before they appear in front of a judge.

Cash Bond

• A cash amount is paid by the defendant to cover the total cost of the bond. This can be paid in the form of cash, a money order, a credit card or bank checks. Personal checks are not accepted. There is an attached fee to post a cash bond.

Co-Signed Personal Recognizance Bond

• A dollar amount of the bond is established, however a person other than the defendant has to sign the bond promising that the defendant will appear for their future court dates. The “co-signer” must be approved through the courts or Bond Commissioners. The “co-signer” is also responsible for paying the cash amount of the bond in the event that the defendant fails to appear in court.

No Bond

• A defendant does not qualify for a Bond until seen by a judge. In most cases this should happen within 48 hours of the arrest.

Personal Recognizance Bond (PR)

• A dollar amount of the bond is established, however the defendant only has to sign the bond promising to appear on the future court dates. The defendant must have a mailing address and be approved through the courts or Bond Commissioners.

Property Bond

• This type of bond requires the courts approval. The defendant or family, friends, etc. must post property with the court that is of greater value than the bond. The courts would retain legal title to the property and could sell it in the event the defendant fails to appear in court.

Surety Bond

• The defendant or family, friends, etc. must contact a professional Bail Bondsman to post the bond. The Bondsman has an attached fee for their services and usually requires some type of collateral. Their fee is generally 15% and they usually require a minimum fee to provide the service. The Bondsmen are registered through the state and we maintain a list of unacceptable Bondsman who have defaulted on their bonds. Staff members will not recommend a bondsman.

Book and Release

• The arresting officer can make a determination that the defendant can be released after they are booked. This usually occurs with misdemeanor offenders; however, can be done with some felonies.

KIOSK

• A small, self-standing structure located in the jail lobby or alternative sentencing building. The kiosk allows you to place money on an inmate’s account by using cash or a credit card. There is a fee associated with using the kiosk.

Municipal Writ Of Execution

• The court requires that the defendant pay a cash fine or remain in jail until the cost of the fine is worked off. The defendant receives $50.00 a day credit towards the fine for each day they are in custody.

Professional Bail Bondsman

• A bail bond agent, or bondsman, is any person or corporation, which will act as a surety and pledge money or property as bail for the appearance of a criminal defendant in court.

Sentences

• The defendant is released upon completion of his required amount of time of incarceration. The courts often modify a sentence so releases may occur earlier.