In situations where it’s used, bail is meant to serve as an insurance policy against defendants returning to court for their required appearances after being cited or arrested. In cases where these appearances are made properly, and particularly if there’s a dismissal of the case in question, this money will be returned.

At Beehive Bail Bonds, we’re happy to walk you through the entire bail bond process if you or a loved one needs assistance with bail, including how and when you’ll get your money back in cases where everything goes smoothly. Here are some basics on what happens after a dismissal and how you receive your funds, including information on situations where you used a bail bondsman like ours plus others where you choose to pay bail on your own.

Through a Bondsman

In many cases, those arrested or their families will not have the funds available to pay the full bail amount up front. This requires access to quick cash in amounts that many people simply don’t have on hand, and in these cases a bail bondsman is used.

In these situations, the funds returned to you after a dismissal will comprise the entire bail bond amount – minus the fee taken by the bondsman service, which is taken as a percentage of the total bail amount. This percentage will vary by state, but won’t be large enough to make a huge difference in your case. Bail bondsmen will often accept both cash or collateral for this payment, which makes it easier to fit this into your various expenses.

Utah Bondsman Cost Figures

In the state of Utah, bail bond fees can vary significantly. The law states that a bail bond in Utah can be no less than 10 percent of the overall bail amount, but also that it can be no more than 20 percent of the bail amount – this leaves a fairly wide range in between. If you’re interested in learning about specific bond fees and structures we offer, contact our bail bond officers today.

Through the Court

In certain situations, you or a loved one might have the funds available to pay your bail directly to the court rather than using a bail bond. In these cases, you have to be very confident in your ability to meet posted court dates and get the case dismissed – your money will be held in full for your entire case, and will only be returned after a dismissal.

In some cases here, it may take some initiative from you to get your money back. Courts move slowly, and it may take between two and six weeks to see any funds – and if you haven’t seen them by around this six-week mark, you may need to make some phone calls. However, dismissed cases where you paid bail directly to the court should see your full bail amount returned as long as everything goes well.

For more on how you’re repaid for bail after a dismissed case, or to learn about any of our bail bond services, speak to the staff at Beehive Bail Bonds today.