Kershaw County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Kershaw County.
How Bail Bonds Work
Option 1: Cash Bond (Pay Full Amount)
How it works: Pay the full bail amount to the court
Pros: Get full amount back after case concludes (minus court fees)
Cons: Requires full amount upfront
Option 2: Bail Bondsman (Most Common)
How it works: Pay 10-15% fee to bondsman, they post full bail
Cost: Typically 10% of bail amount (non-refundable)
Pros: Only need 10% upfront instead of full amount
Cons: Fee is non-refundable, may require collateral, co-signer assumes liability
Co-Signer Liability Warning
Important for Co-Signers:
- You are 100% liable if defendant does not appear in court
- You must pay the full bail amount if defendant skips
- Bondsman can seize collateral (house, car, etc.)
- You cannot cancel the bond - only the court can
- Liability continues until case is fully resolved
Release Timeline
Arrest & Booking (2-8 hours)
Fingerprinting, photographing, background check, medical screening
Arraignment (Within 24-48 hours)
First court appearance, judge sets bail amount, charges are read
Bail Posted (1-4 hours)
Family contacts bondsman, paperwork signed, fee paid
Release (2-6 hours)
Processing, release paperwork, return of personal property, court date assigned
Total Time Estimate
From arrest to release: 12-48 hours depending on booking workload, time of arrest (weekends take longer), and how quickly bail is posted.
After Release: Critical Deadlines
1. Request MVD Hearing - 30 Days
You have only 30 days from arrest to request your administrative license hearing. This is separate from your criminal case.
2. Retrieve Your Vehicle
Impound fees accrue daily. Get your car as soon as possible to avoid hundreds in storage fees.
Calculate Impound Costs3. Contact a Bail Bondsman
Need fast release in Kershaw County? Contact a verified 24/7 Bail Bondsman to start the release process immediately.
Find a Bondsman4. Appear at ALL Court Dates
Missing court will result in bond forfeiture, arrest warrant, and additional charges. Your co-signer will be liable for the full bail amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kershaw County actually processes low-risk defendants faster than most of its neighbors. Recent pretrial data shows 75.4% of low-risk inmates booked into the county detention center are released within 24 hours, with only 7% held longer than a week, a real contrast to the bottlenecks seen at larger nearby facilities like Richland County's Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center. Knowing the hearing schedule is what actually determines whether a family lands on the fast side of that statistic.
Which schedule applies depends entirely on who made the arrest. Camden Police Department arrests go before City Judges, who hold hearings daily from 7:30 to 8 a.m. and again from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sheriff's Office or Highway Patrol arrests go before County Magistrates instead, Monday through Friday at 8 a.m., and every day of the week from 4 to 5 p.m. Missing either window means waiting for the next one, no exceptions. For a standard first offense, South Carolina caps bond at the maximum fine for the charge, generally $400 to $1,000, and a magistrate can grant personal recognizance release with no cash required for a cooperative, first-time defendant with no aggravating circumstances.
The facility's shift changes at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. freeze inmate movement and release processing for 60 to 120 minutes while the incoming crew completes mandatory headcounts. If a magistrate sets bond at the 4 p.m. hearing, getting the paperwork finished before that 7 p.m. lockdown matters, or the release slides into the next shift entirely.
Once released, getting away from the facility is entirely the defendant's own responsibility, and families picking someone up need to park only in designated visitor spaces. A vehicle left in a staff or law enforcement area, especially during a shift change, risks being towed itself.