Terms Used In Florida Statutes 903.16

  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • bond: include any and all forms of pretrial release. See Florida Statutes 903.011
  • court: as used in this chapter , includes all state courts. See Florida Statutes 903.02
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01

(1) A defendant who has been admitted to bail, or another person in the defendant’s behalf, may deposit with the official authorized to take bail money or nonregistered bonds of the United States, the state, or a city, town, or county in the state, equal in market value to the amount set in the order and the personal bond of the defendant and an undertaking by the depositor if the money or bonds are deposited by another. The sheriff or other officials may remit money or bonds received to the clerk to be held by the clerk pending court action or return to the defendant or depositor. The clerk shall accept money or bonds remitted by the sheriff.
(2) Consent is conclusively presumed for the clerk of the circuit court to sell bonds deposited as bail after forfeiture of the bond.