One of the most stressful times in our lives is when a friend or loved one gets arrested. Just imagine how stressful is for them though! Getting handcuffed by the police is a very humbling experience, to say the least, and calling someone to bail us out is even more so. In Cobb County, bail bonds are written so frequently that the sheriff’s department had to put a limit on the number of bonding companies licensed to write bonds for the Cobb County Adult Detention center. That being said, there still some really great bondsmen that you can call for guidance. Until then, you might be wondering how much bail bonds cost in Cobb County, Georgia. The simple answer is that they vary quite a bit. However, there are some general guidelines that you can take into account when figuring out how much a bail bond will cost..
What is a Bail Bond?
In Cobb County, bail bonds are determined by a bond schedule. This document provides a standardized sum for first-time misdemeanors and other simple crimes. In cases of probation violation or more serious criminal activity, a judge or magistrate will determine the bail amount during what’s known as a ‘bail hearing.’ These amounts can range from anywhere between $1,000 - $2,000,000 with the average leaning more towards the lower end of around $10,000. For simple misdemeanors, the average is right around $1,200 in Cobb County. A bondsman can write a guarantee to the court that the inmate will appear for their next court date, trial, or hearing. In return, they will charge a percentage of the bail amount. The standard fee that a Cobb County bonding company will charge is right at 15%. If the co-signer has good credit, steady income, and other indicators of financial responsibility, the percentage may be lower. This varies a bit from one bonding company to another.
How is Bail Amount Determined?
In most cases, the standard Cobb County bail schedule will set the bail amount. In other cases, discretion is left up to the judge or magistrate that oversees the case. The judge will take into consideration the following:
- Criminal history of the defendant
- Seriousness of the crime(s)
- Defendant’s risk of fleeing the state
- Community and civil obligations
- Previous or current 'Failure to Appear' charges
How Bail Bonds Can Help
A Cobb County bail bondsman can’t reduce the amount of bail that is required to get a person released from jail. However, they can use a co-signer’s willingness to vouch for a person’s court appearance as leverage. This is known as having ‘skin in the game.’ A bail bond relies on the strength of a defendant’s relationship with a friend or loved one to make them less likely to ‘jump bond’ – meaning they are less likely to run from the law if they know that the co-signer of the bond will be responsible for paying thousands of dollars if they decide to become a fugitive. While this is indeed true, some Cobb County bail bonds agents won’t write a bond for an inmate if the risk is too high. If a person has a prior ‘failure to appear’ charge then no company will want to write a bail bond for that individual. The chance that they will show up for their next court date is very slim and the bonding company may have to put up the money for the entire amount of bail. By becoming a co-signer, you are in fact stating that you will be responsible for that amount instead of the bondsman. So, if there is any doubt as to whether the defendant will show up for court, then don’t do the bond. While this is more the exception than the rule, it’s a valid point that should be taken seriously.
