BONDING INFORMATION 

If someone has been arrested and is eligible for bond by the magistrate, the following information outlines the process for bonding out of jail:

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What is Bond?

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Bond, also known as bail, is a financial guarantee paid to the court to ensure that the defendant will return for their scheduled court appearances. If the defendant appears for all required court dates, the bond amount is refunded or released at the conclusion of the case.

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Personal recognizance. With a personal recognizance bond, the accused promises to appear for all court hearings, and no money is required. The accused may also be ordered to follow any other rules set by the magistrate. Personal recognizance bonds are typically administered for less serious offenses.

 

Unsecured bond. An unsecured bond allows a person to be released from jail on the promise to appear for all court hearings such as a personal recognizance bond. However, the person must agree to pay a certain amount set by the magistrate if he misses any court hearings.

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Secured bond. A secured bond requires a person to pay a certain amount of money to be released from jail. The funds will be returned to him if the person attends all court hearings. Often, when the judge requires a secured bond, the person or his family will arrange to pay the bond for the accused with a Virginia bail bondsman for a fee—between 10 to 15 percent of the bond. For example, if the secured bond is set at $10,000 and the cost is 10 percent, the bail bondsman would pay the bond to the court once his payment of $1,000 is paid.