Essential Bail Bonds Frequently Asked Questions
Own Recognizance (O.R.): Another method of release pending trial is through a county or law enforcement administered pre-trial release program. Usually, the staff members of these programs interview individuals in custody and make recommendations to the court regarding release of these individuals on their own recognizance (i.e., without any financial security to insure the interviewee's return).
Citation Release: This procedure, known as the "Cite Out", involves the issuance of a citation by the arresting officer to the arrestee, informing the arrestee that he or she must appear at an appointed court date. The Cite Out usually occurs immediately after an individual is arrested. Such an arrestee's appearance in court depends exclusively upon the integrity of the arrestee and his or her voluntarily returning to court.
What does "forfeiture"
mean?
A forfeiture occurs if a defendant fails to appear in court as
scheduled. In this event, the bail bonds company has approximately six
months to "surrender" the defendant to the court with no financial
consequences. If this does not happen, the bond is payable to the court
by the Bail Bonds Company..
What is a "premium"?
A "premium" is the amount paid to a Bail bonds company for the many
services and financial risks assumed by the Bail Bond Company, on behalf
of the defendant., The amount of this premium I usually 10% of the
amount of the bail. This is similar to payment of any premium for an
insurance policy.