How to get bail money back

Asked Nov 19, 2008, 03:14 PM — **6 Answers**

I bailed a friend out of jail in Dallas , TX.
He went to court and was found not guilty.

How do I get my bail money back?

Fr_Chuck · Nov 19, 2008, 04:02 PM

Did you actually pay the bail to the court. Or did you pay a bailbondsmen to do the bail.

If you paid the money to the court you will need to contact the court,

If you paid a bailbondmen, you don't get that back.

twinkiedooter · Nov 20, 2008, 05:35 AM

If you paid the money directly to the court, you contact the clerk's office and present your receipt for your friend's case. If the case has been disposed of and the information is in the court file, your money will be returned.

If you paid a 10% bail bond premium and had put up say a car title as collateral for the bond, you need to contact the bailbondsman's office and present certified copies of the court disposition of the case to get your car title or whatever collateral you put up back. No, you do not get the 10% back. That is the premium you paid so your friend could be out of jail until their court date.

goldentouch4 · Nov 20, 2008, 10:54 PM

all you need to do is take the paper that they gave you when you paid the bond, take it back to the jail where you paid the bond and you get your money back minus 10%.your friends guilt or innocence doesn't determine if you get your bail money back or not what determines if you get your money back or not is if that person shows up for court or not if they don't go to court after being bonded out that's means they jumped bail and the bond money if forfeited

JudyKayTee · Nov 21, 2008, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by goldentouch4

all you need to do is take the paper that they gave you when you paid the bond, take it back to the jail where you paid the bond and you get your money back minus 10%.your friends guilt or innocence doesnt determine if you get your bail money back or not what determines if you get your money back or not is if that person shows up for court or not if they dont go to court after being bonded out thats means they jumped bail and the bond money if forfeited

This is not correct - there could have been a bondsman involved and THAT office will return the money (minus fees), not the Court.

trentc · Feb 26, 2011, 11:33 AM

You don't get your bail money back if you paid a premium to a bail agent. That's how bail agents make their living. You pay them the premium (usually 10% of the full bail amount) and in return they get your friend out of jail. If your friend does not show for the court date, they agent is on the hook for the full bail amount. I'd say in this case you are not getting anything back unless you provided collateral, which should be returned to you.

JudyKayTee · Feb 26, 2011, 12:24 PM

Please keep an eye on the dates - this is a question from 2008. The people who answered in the past are alerted that you have posted; no one else will see this.

How to get bail money back

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