The bondsman’s fee is for the service of posting bond and assuming the financial risk for the duration of the case. That service is delivered when the bond posts — long before any verdict.
So yes, the premium is owed and is non-refundable, even if:
- Charges are dropped before arraignment
- The case is dismissed
- The jury acquits
- The prosecutor never files
- The bond is exonerated by the court
What IS returned in those cases: any collateral you pledged (vehicle titles, real estate liens, etc.). That’s held only as security against forfeiture and is released when the case ends.