(A) A person charged and to be tried before a magistrate or municipal judge for a violation of law is entitled to deposit with the magistrate or municipal judge, in lieu of entering into recognizance, a sum of money not to exceed the maximum fine in the case for which the person is to be tried. However, an individualized hearing must be held when the person is charged with a violation of the provisions of Chapter 25, Title 16 and the victim of the offense must be notified pursuant to the provisions of Section 16-3-1525(H).

(B) In a jurisdiction in which the governing body has established a system for receipt of deposits in lieu of recognizance:

(1) a person held or incarcerated in a jail or detention center who is entitled to deposit a sum of money in lieu of entering into recognizance pursuant to this section may secure the person's immediate release from custody by paying to or depositing the sum of money required by this section with the jail or detention facility in which the person is being held; and

(2) a person held or incarcerated in a jail or detention center whose bond has been set by a summary court judge may secure the person's immediate release from custody by paying to or depositing the sum of money set by the summary court judge with the jail or detention facility in which the person is being held.

(C) Money paid to or deposited with a jail or detention facility under the authority of this section is considered paid to or deposited with the magistrate or municipal judge in lieu of entering into recognizance and must be accounted for and paid over to the magistrate or municipal judge by the jail or detention facility for disposition according to law. Money paid to or deposited pursuant to this section must be accounted for and audited in the manner required by the governing body and any other appropriate agency.

The provisions of this section must not be construed to abrogate or otherwise affect the notice requirements for victims of crime and other rights of victims of crime provided for in Article 5 of Title 16.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 43-243; 1952 Code Section 43-243; 1942 Code Section 940; 1932 Code Section 940; Cr. P. '22 Section 36; Cr. C. '12 Section 37; 1904 (24) 388; 1940 (41) 1648; 1944 (43) 1290; 2002 Act No. 295, Section 2; 2005 Act No. 166, Section 12; 2014 Act No. 144 (S.19), Section 4, eff April 7, 2014.

Effect of Amendment

2014 Act No. 144, Section 4, in subsection (B), added paragraph designator (1); in subsection (B)(1), substituted "pursuant to" for "under", substituted "the person's" for "his" and substituted "the person" for "he"; and added subsection (B)(2).