How Do Bail Bonds Work in Alabama?

Alabama has set bail amounts for common offenses, which means a person arrested and charged with one of them usually does not have to wait for the judge to determine the bail.

While the court system in the state, as elsewhere, could release the criminally charged on his own recognizance, the use of a bail bond is the far more common way to be let out of jail while awaiting judicial hearings.
Misdemeanor charges in Alabama come with a bail amount of $300 to $7,500. Most charges are around $300-$1,000. But bail for a Class A misdemeanor in Alabama can be as high as $6,000, and a DUI can have bail set from $1,000 to $7,500. The bail bond fee a defendant will pay will be 10% of this amount.

Thus, if bail is set at $3,000, the charged will pay the bail bondsman $300.
If you were to use your own money or borrow from a family member or friend, then there would be no 10 percent fee.
Alabama also allows the use of a property bond to secure release. The personal property or land/home value has to be equal to or greater than the bail amount. If the accused does not show up to court or violates the release terms, the Alabama court will issue a warrant for the person’s arrest and can take over his property.

According to Al.com, more than 75 municipal courts in Alabama over the past few years have reformed their bail practices so that poor people charged with minor offenses don’t have to remain in jail when they can’t afford to post bond.
“We particularly focused on the issue of bail in traffic cases to ensure that citizens with traffic matters do not remain in the city jail unless there are other issues that must be resolved,” said Birmingham Municipal Court Judge Andra Sparks.

This year, Alabama lawmakers considered legislation that would deny bail at the judge’s discretion to people charged with rape and murder.. Before, it could only be denied to those charged with capital murder.

State Representative Chip Brown said: “I really feel like we’re on a crusade here… Criminals think they can just keep getting away with violent offenses, and they’re just going to keep offending and reoffending, and we can’t have that.”