If you are arrested for a felony or misdemeanor in Georgia, you are entitled to a bond or a hearing to determine if bond will be set.  If bond is set, you usually can post it in one of three ways.

THREE WAYS TO POST BAIL BOND:

1.  CASH BOND - You can post cash in the full amount of the bond. For large bonds, coming up with that much money may be difficult. The advantage is that all money minus any monetary fines is returned once your case is over.

2.  PROPERTY BOND - You must check with the County Sheriff in order to post a Property Bond. Generally, the equity in the property must be twice the amount of the bond. The obvious advantage is that no money is required.

3.  BAIL BONDSMAN (Surety) - Paying a Bail Bondsman (also called a Surety), is the most popular method used to get out of jail. Bondsmen charge a fee to sign onto your bond. The fee is set by State Statute. For bonds up to $10,000.00, the Bondsman can charge you up to 12% of the bond amount. For bonds in excess of $10,000.00, you can be charged up to 15%. This fee is not refundable. If you live outside the local area, your Bondsman may require you to provide additional collateral. Your Bondsman could also require you to pay the full amount of the bond. This will be returned to you once your case is over.

OWN RECOGNIZANCE - On rare occassions, a Judge will set an "Own Recognizance" (OR) Bond. This means you just have to sign your name. No property or money is needed. This type of bond is rarely granted.

With each of these options, you are REQUIRED to show up for your scheduled court date.  If you do not, a warrant will be issued for your arrest.