The Bail-Bond Process for Colorado
When a person is arrested, he may be held in jail until a trial or a judge may require that he post bail to be released. In Colorado, one option for bail is a surety bond.
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Bail Amount
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Colorado law sets forth the factors a judge must examine when setting the bail amount. Those factors include the crime the defendant is accused of, the defendant's previous criminal history, whether the defendant is employed, the defendant's financial circumstances and the defendant's family relationships, especially if any family members have agreed or refused to support him.
Surety Bond
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A surety bond can be obtained from a bail-bond agency to secure the defendant's release from jail. The bail-bond agency will charge a nonrefundable fee of 10 percent of the bail amount for its service and will post the full amount with the court. The bail-bond amount will be returned to the agency in full once the defendant appears.
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Release
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Once the defendant's bail is posted he may be released from jail. If he is being held in a city jail, release can occur within 15 minutes to two hours. However, because county court is more populated, release may take as long as eight hours.
Collateral
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In addition to the 10 percent fee, the bail-bond agency can also request that the defendant provide additional collateral, usually valued at the full bond amount. The agency can seize this property, including bank accounts, cars, houses and jewelry, when its bond is forfeited if the defendant fails to appear in court.
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