What Happens When Your Bail is Exonerated in California?
For individuals arrested and subsequently released on bail, having that bail exonerated is a crucial step in their legal journey. This moment signals that your financial obligation to the court is officially over, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting your money back.
Let’s take a look at what it means to have your bail exonerated in California and what the financial implications might be.
What Bail Exoneration in California Means
When the court exonerates bail, it means that the bail bond has been released and the legal obligation attached to it has now ended. This happens towards the end of a criminal case, whether the outcome is a conviction, an acquittal or a dismissal of charges.
Bail could be exonerated if you are found not guilty at trial or if the case is dismissed before going to trial. Bail will also be exonerated if you are sentenced after a guilty plea or a conviction. Another case where bail is exonerated is if you voluntarily return to court after missing a hearing and the court accepts the explanation.
In any of these cases, once the court formally exonerates the bail, it issues an order that the bond is no longer required. This applies whether the bail was paid in cash or through a bail bondsman.
The Financial Implications of Bail Exonerations
If a cash bail was posted, then the person who paid it will receive that money back, provided that the bail conditions were not violated.
However, when a bail bondsman posts bail on your behalf, you will pay a non-refundable premium of 10% of the total bail amount. Once the bail is exonerated, then the bail bondsman is released from its responsibility to the court, and your debt to the bail bondsman is considered fulfilled, assuming you didn’t violate bail conditions.
In other words, the court will refund the bail bondsman the bail amount and the 10% fee you paid up front will remain non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the legal process. That fee merely covers the cost of the service that the bail bondsman provided. It’s simply the cost of using a private bail service – not a reflection of your guilt or innocence.
As a reputable bail bondsman, ABC Bail Bonds is ready to walk the journey with you from your arrest to the moment you get your bail exonerated in California. Contact us now to get the help you need and secure your freedom with confidence!