What’s Bond Court All About?
After an arrest a few different things can occur depending on the what the arrest was for. Oftentimes, a person is released right from the police station and provided with a date to return to court. This is generally reserved for more minor violations or misdemeanors. If the allegation is more serious then the person arrested will appear in court before a judge (there is no jury at this point–this is not a trial of any sort!) and is informed of the charges he/she is facing. At that point, the judge has several choices. The judge can release the person on his own recognizance and the promise to appear at a future court date or he can set a cash or surety bond, or, if the crime is serious enough or the accused is a flight risk, then the judge can send him/her back to jail without any bail where he/she will remain until the next court date.
The footage from the Bond Court is real, live video of exactly what people accused of crimes in Brevard County, Florida experience during their first court appearance. Have any questions or want more explanation about what you’re watching? Drop us an email and let us know!
By the way, the one question we often get is: What if the defendant doesn’t have sufficient funds to pay the bond the judge sets? Well, that’s where a bail bondsman comes in. A bail bondsman puts up the money in exchange for a percentage of the bond set (in Florida it’s 10% of the ordered amount) and a promise to return to court.