What Is a Mississippi Bail Bond?
When a person is arrested, he may be required to post bail to be released from jail until his trial. In Mississippi, if a person cannot afford the bail amount, he can hire a bail bond agency to post it on his behalf.
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Bail Bonds
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A bail bond is the surety bond posted with the court to allow for a defendant's release from jail after an arrest. The bond is a contract between the agency, the defendant and any cosigners. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the defendant and the cosigner are responsible for repaying the entire bail amount to the bail bond agency.
Release on Bail
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When a bail bond agency agrees to post bail, it must contact the jail where the defendant is being held. If he is in a smaller jail, the release process should take less than a half hour. The release process can take upward of 12 hours if the defendant is in a larger jail.
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Fees
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In Mississippi, bail bond agencies are permitted to charge a fee of up to 10 percent of the bail amount. There is also an additional $50 fee per charge if the defendant has been charged with multiple offenses. The fee increases to 15 percent if the defendant is not a state resident or if he has been charged with a capital offense. Agencies also require collateral, such as additional money, jewelry or property, which the agency can keep if the defendant fails to appear and bail is forfeited. Once he does appear and the case is concluded, whether by dismissal, acquittal or conviction, the agency will return the collateral.
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