Lexington County's Bond Court is located at 521 Gibson Road, Lexington, South Carolina 29072. It is immediately adjacent to the Lexington County Detention Center and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department.
After an individual is arrested and taken to jail for an offense prosecuted in a State (local) Court in Lexington they will be taken to Bond Court. The purpose of the Bond Court is to have a Magistrate set the terms and conditions of the defendant's release pending trial or a final adjudication of their case. In addition to the County's main Bond Court some individuals who are arrested in Cayce or Batesburg Leesville will have their bond's set by the local Municipal Court.
In general most defendants have a right to have a bond set. If the charges are serious enough that a possible penalty is life in prison the Bond Court will not have jurisdiction. Instead the bond will have to be set in General Sessions. Examples of charges that carry a possible sentence of life in prison include Murder,
1st Degree Burglary and 1st Degree
CSC with a Minor.
Bond Court is held two times a day on weekdays and once on the weekend. The exact time of the Bond Court is subject to change without notice and to inquire about a particular defendant's hearing time you may call (803) 785-8471.
Prior to setting bond the judge will consider whether or not he defendant presents a danger to the community or is a flight risk. Bond may range from a Personal Recognizance (PR), where a defendant signs themselves out of jail, through a Cash Surety Bond where cash must be posted with the Court or a Bail Bondsman employed.
In addition to promptly appearing in Court other standard conditions of Bond may include:
Having no contact with the alleged victim
Not leaving the State of South Carolina
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Complying with all other State and Local Law
Violation of any of these conditions can be considered Contempt of Court and also subject you to incarceration pending the conclusion of your case.
If the Bond Court sets a high bond on a felony level case we can assist with pursuing a Bond Reduction Hearing where we will file a motion in General Sessions to ask a judge to consider lowering the amount.
Hiring a Bail Bondsman
If a cash or surety bond is set you will have the option of hiring a Bail Bondsman. They will charge you a fixed rate fee for their service. The Bondsman will then guarantee your attendance in Court. Later if you fail to appear the Bondman will have the legal right to track you down and physically take you into custody. Any fee you pay a Bail Bondsman is non-refundable.
Posting Cash with the Court
If the Court requires a cash or surety bond you also may post the cash directly with the Court. If you then fail to appear in Court a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest and the cash will be forfeited. Although in most cases you don't receive any interest, unlike paying a Bondsman any amount you pay to the Court can be refunded to you at the conclusion of your case.
Posting Real Estate for Bond
If the Court sets a cash or surety bond you may also have the option of pledging real estate to the Court. If you fail to appear in Court the real estate then may become the property of the State. In order to post real estate most counties in South Carolina require that the property not have a mortgage or other lien. Further the tax assessor will need to certify the appraised value. There are legal fees for the required title examination and for the processing of the required paperwork. Further this process usually takes several days. However for situations with a high bond and available real estate this can be a good option.