Bail Money Not Returnable If Released or Convicted? (house, cost)

[NHtoFL]

A family member was recently arrested in Florida, Ft Lauderdale. End result is that he was released on $ 200,000 bail. He put down $ 20,000 and leaned the rest against his mothers house so he could get out. His mother is handling the financial part of this, so the rest of us dont know much. However, she told us that the $ 20,000 down is non refundable and is kept by the bondsman

We are expecting this to get tossed out of court. However, even if there is a conviction and he goes away, the $ 20,000 is gone.

I find this part hard to believe, but I am not familiar with the legal system on Broward County. Is this possible, even if he wins the case and is set free? If so, who keeps the money?

Thanks!

[mango23]

Originally Posted by NHtoFL

A family member was recently arrested in Florida, Ft Lauderdale. End result is that he was released on $ 200,000 bail. He put down $ 20,000 and leaned the rest against his mothers house so he could get out. His mother is handling the financial part of this, so the rest of us dont know much. However, she told us that the $ 20,000 down is non refundable and is kept by the bondsman

We are expecting this to get tossed out of court. However, even if there is a conviction and he goes away, the $ 20,000 is gone.

I find this part hard to believe, but I am not familiar with the legal system on Broward County. Is this possible, even if he wins the case and is set free? If so, who keeps the money?

Thanks!

It doesn't matter if he is innocent. The bondsman put up the money to get him out of jail. Why do you think the bondsman is giving you the money, for nothing?
He could always just stay in jail and it will cost you nothing and he even get fed. The safest way is to go through a bondsman really. If you were to put up say the whole $200k. The judge could decide to grab a chunk of it as a fine. He can't do that with the bondsman's money. I learned this lesson when I bonded out a guy for $2000.00. When he went to court the judge fined him the bond and no jail time. I never got back my money. I could have just went to a bondsman and gave him the $2000 plus a $200. fee and that would have been it. Once he showed up for his hearing I would have gotten my money back minus the $200. fee. For $20,000 I would just let him sit in jail. He may even decide to take off and his mother risk losing her house. That lean on the house may even have interest to it as high as maybe 20% depending on the type of lean. I would leave him in jail if it was me.

[pahkthecah]

Bond set at 200k and he didn't do anything? Uh Huh.

Discuss it with the bondsman. They didn't spring the poor innocent for free, you know.

[jhlcomp]

It's "lien" not "lean." :-)