When one is arrested and put in jail, that person is typically allowed the right to release on bail. Bailing someone out of jail in the State of Florida requires posting the 10% payment of the total amount of bond. There are bail bond conditions that must be followed by the court and bail bondsman. What are bond conditions? These are pre-trial conditions of bond that you must obey to while released and awaiting court appearances.

Bond conditions are set to serve two primary purposes. The first is to ensure the defendant shows up for all court appearances. The second is for the protection of the community. Judges and courts have considerable leeway in determining what the conditions should be to safeguard these purposes.

Depending on the type and seriousness of the charges, standard pre-trial bond conditions may include:

• Do not get re-arrested
• No contact with the alleged victims or witnesses
• Must notify your bail bondsman if you change address or phone number
• Compliance with reporting to an official or supervision
• In some cases wearing of a monitoring device
• Informing the court of any changes in address or work status

Violating bond conditions is technically known as “bail-jumping”, even if the condition violated has nothing to do with fleeing the jurisdiction. A violation can result in revocation of bail, forfeiture of any money put up for bail, and possible jail time. Again, the judge has the final word and he or she will determine the penalty based on the seriousness of the violation.

If you are charged with a crime and are offered bail, ensure you completely understand the bond conditions you are required to follow. Do not hesitate to ask for clarification on any of the conditions to ensure you do not mistakenly violate one. While the court has latitude in setting bond conditions and doling out penalties for violating them, it is best to steer clear of violations by understanding what bond conditions are, and how they apply to your daily life while out on bail.

For more information from a trusted, experienced, and insured bail bond company, All County Bail Bonds is available 24 hours a day to answer your questions at (561) 967-0086.