Bail Reform in North Carolina: Why Accountability Still Matters

Bail reform has become one of the most debated criminal justice topics in America. But in North Carolina, the conversation cannot be reduced to a single slogan, a political talking point, or a simple question about whether bail should exist.

The real question is this:

How do we protect the presumption of innocence while also protecting victims, families, communities, and the integrity of the court system?

That is where North Carolina’s bail reform conversation must stay focused.

At 828 Bail Bonds, we believe the justice system should move quickly, treat people fairly, and make careful distinctions between defendants who can safely return home while awaiting court and defendants who present a serious risk of flight, repeated criminal conduct, or danger to the public.

Bail reform should not mean automatic detention for everyone. It also should not mean automatic release with no meaningful accountability.

The strongest system is one that uses judgment, evidence, judicial discretion, and proven tools that help people return to court.

That includes professionally secured bail bonds.

..And that includes recognizing something too often left out of the bail reform debate: licensed bail bondsmen provide a layer of pretrial accountability at zero cost to taxpayers in a court system that is already overburdened.

Bail Reform Is No Longer a One-Sided Debate

For years, bail reform was often framed as a debate over “cash bail.” Reform advocates argued that too many low-risk defendants were sitting in jail before trial simply because they could not afford release. That concern is real. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, at midyear 2023, 70% of people in local jails were unconvicted, either awaiting court action or otherwise not yet serving a sentence.

That number explains why bail reform remains such a serious issue. A fair system should not allow low-risk defendants to sit in jail unnecessarily. But the same statistic also shows why the release process must be handled carefully. When such a large share of the jail population is awaiting court action, the question is not simply how many people can be released. The question is how release can happen responsibly, with follow-up, communication, and accountability after the jail door opens.

But the national conversation has changed.

Today, lawmakers across the country are wrestling with a more complicated reality: how to prevent unnecessary pretrial detention while also giving courts stronger tools when someone poses a serious risk.

That is why modern bail reform is increasingly focused on three groups:

1. People who should be released quickly because they are low-risk.

2. People who may be released, but only with meaningful conditions.

3. People who may need to be detained because no condition of release is enough to protect the public or ensure appearance.

   
   

That distinction matters.

A fair system does not treat every defendant the same. It evaluates risk, circumstances, criminal history, court appearance history, and public safety concerns. That is the space where professional bail bonds continue to serve an important role.

North Carolina Has Entered a New Bail Reform Era

North Carolina has already seen major movement on this issue.

In 2025, North Carolina enacted Session Law 2025-93, also known as Iryna’s Law, which modified laws related to pretrial release conditions. The law requires additional information to be considered in certain release decisions and directs judicial officials to make written findings of fact in cases where pretrial release is authorized for defendants subject to the new pretrial release conditions..

The UNC School of Government has also explained that the law eliminated written promises to appear as a permissible form of release, leaving unsecured bonds, custody releases, secured bonds, and electronic house arrest among the remaining release options. For many offenses, unsecured bonds or custody releases may still be preferred as the least restrictive options, but those options are not permitted for defendants charged with violent offenses.

The Associated Press reported that the law restricted cashless bail for certain violent offenses and repeat offenders, limited some judicial discretion in pretrial release decisions, and expanded mental health evaluation requirements.

That matters because North Carolina’s bail reform debate is not simply about whether people should be released or detained. It is about whether the release decision is being made with enough information, enough accountability, and enough concern for the people affected by crime.

For 828 Bail Bonds, this is not an abstract policy issue. We work with families, defendants, attorneys, courts, and communities every day. We see the human side of the process. We know that people are presumed innocent. We also know that missed court dates, repeat arrests, and dangerous release decisions have real consequences.

North Carolina needs a system that can recognize both truths.

Michael Woody’s Testimony and the North Carolina Perspective

828 Bail Bonds CEO Michael Woody has carried this North Carolina perspective into the national conversation. In 2025, he appeared as a witness at a U.S. House Judiciary Committee field hearing in Charlotte focused on violent crime, repeat offenders, and pretrial release policy. Woody represented North Carolina as the owner and CEO of 828 Bail Bonds and North Carolina representative for the National Association of Bail Agents.

His testimony matters because it brought the perspective of working North Carolina bail professionals into a national policy debate often dominated by theory, politics, and broad generalizations.

His message reflects what many in North Carolina’s bail industry have seen firsthand:

A release system without accountability does not serve defendants well. It does not serve victims well. It does not serve law enforcement well. It does not serve the courts well.

Professional bail agents are often misunderstood in the broader bail reform debate. A licensed bail bondsman does more than help post a bond. The role includes helping families understand the process, encouraging defendants to return to court, monitoring court dates, communicating with clients, and helping reduce the burden on already-strained jail and court systems.

That is why the conversation should not be about eliminating bail bonds. It should be about using them properly.

The Accountability Work Bail Bondsmen Do at Zero Cost to Taxpayers

One of the most overlooked parts of bail reform is what happens after release.

A defendant getting out of jail is not the end of the case. It is the beginning of the pretrial process. Court dates change. Hearings are continued. Families have questions. Defendants move, change phone numbers, misunderstand paperwork, or miss notices. Someone has to help keep the case connected to the court system.

Licensed bail bondsmen help fill that gap.

We remind people of court dates. We answer questions from families. We help clients understand what happens next. We follow up when someone misses court. We help people get back into compliance when possible. And when someone runs, we have a financial and legal reason to act.

That work does not require a new taxpayer-funded department. It does not add another burden to clerks, law enforcement, district attorneys, or court staff. It is private-sector accountability operating inside an already overburdened justice system.

Bail Reform Should Mean Better Decisions, Not Weaker Accountability

Real bail reform should improve the system.

It should make pretrial release faster for eligible people. It should reduce unnecessary jail time for low-risk defendants. It should require courts to carefully evaluate danger and flight risk. It should protect victims and communities. It should preserve tools that help ensure defendants return to court.

Professional bail bonds fit within that balanced approach.

When a judge authorizes release but wants more than a simple promise to appear, a secured bond gives the court an accountability mechanism. It also gives the defendant a pathway out of jail. In many cases, bail bonds help people return home, keep working, support their families, prepare their defense, and still remain tied to the court process.

That is not the opposite of reform.

That is responsible reform.

Why Cashless Bail Alone Is Not a Complete Solution

Cashless bail is often presented as compassionate. In some cases, release without a secured bond may be appropriate. Not every charge requires a financial condition. Not every defendant needs a bondsman. Not every case presents a public safety concern.

But when cashless release becomes the default, it can create serious gaps.

Court reminders and pretrial supervision can help, but they are not always enough.

They also require funding, staffing, training, oversight, and enforcement. That does not mean those tools have no place, but it does mean policymakers should be honest about the cost. When a proposal removes professional bail bondsmen from the process, it should also explain who will take over the follow-up work, who will pay for it, and how an already strained system will absorb that responsibility.

Many court systems are already stretched thin. Staffing shortages, crowded dockets, inconsistent follow-up, and limited enforcement resources can weaken the effectiveness of court-managed release.

A professional bail bond adds another layer of accountability. It creates a direct incentive for court appearances and places responsibility on a licensed surety system built around ensuring defendants show up.

That middle ground is important.

The choice should not be between unnecessary jail time and unsecured release with little follow-through. North Carolina should preserve a full range of release tools, including secured bonds, unsecured bonds, custody release, written promises, pretrial supervision, and detention when legally justified.

The Questions Every Bail Reform Proposal Should Answer

Any serious bail reform proposal in North Carolina should answer several practical questions:

Who will make sure defendants know when and where to appear?

Who will follow up when court dates change?

Who will contact families when a defendant cannot be reached?

Who will respond when someone misses court?

Who will locate defendants who fail to appear?

Who will assume the financial risk when release fails?

And most importantly, who will pay for that system?

Professional bail bondsmen already perform much of that work at zero cost to taxpayers. Removing that structure without a realistic replacement does not simplify the system. It shifts the burden back onto courts, clerks, law enforcement, and taxpayers.

North Carolina has an opportunity to lead the national bail reform conversation with a more honest, practical approach.

Instead of copying policies from other states, North Carolina can build a model that reflects our courts, our communities, our rural counties, our urban centers, and our public safety needs.

That model should include:

Fairness for low-risk defendants who should not sit in jail simply because the system moves slowly.

Judicial discretion so magistrates and judges can evaluate the facts of each case.

Clear written findings when danger, flight risk, or repeat conduct is part of the decision.

Meaningful accountability for defendants released before trial.

A continued role for licensed bail bondsmen who help families navigate the process and help courts maintain appearance accountability.

Protection for taxpayers by preserving private-sector accountability tools instead of replacing them entirely with government-funded supervision models.

Support for an overburdened court system by recognizing the role licensed bondsmen play in communication, follow-up, court appearance accountability, and recovery when defendants fail to appear.

The national debate is no longer moving in one single direction. Some states are tightening detention authority. Others are trying to limit money bail. The real issue is how to balance liberty, risk, speed, and enforceability before trial.

That is exactly where North Carolina should focus.

828 Bail Bonds’ Position on Bail Reform

828 Bail Bonds supports a system that is fair, fast, and accountable.

We do not believe every defendant should receive a high bond. We do not believe every defendant should remain in jail. We do not believe that every defendant should be released without meaningful conditions.

We believe in a system that looks at the facts.

For low-risk defendants, the process should move quickly. For serious charges, repeat offenses, violent conduct, or clear flight risk, courts should have the authority to impose meaningful conditions or deny release when the law permits.

Bail bonds are one such tool.

They help bridge the gap between jail and unsecured release. They allow people to return home while giving the court, the family, and the community greater assurance that the case will proceed.

Bail reform should not accidentally remove the people who are already helping the system function. If a defendant is released without secured accountability, and then misses court, the burden often moves back to the government. Warrants must be issued. Law enforcement may be asked to respond. Court calendars are delayed. Victims wait longer. Families become more confused. Taxpayers ultimately help carry the weight of a system that already had private-sector support available.

It should be about making better release decisions.

Final Thought: Reform Should Protect Both Freedom and Accountability

The word “reform” should mean improvement.

In North Carolina, bail reform should protect the presumption of innocence, reduce unnecessary detention, and ensure that people who are released before trial return to court.

But reform should also recognize that victims matter. Communities matter. Court appearance matters. Public safety matters.

828 Bail Bonds will continue to advocate for a balanced system that keeps North Carolina focused on both freedom and accountability.

Because the strongest justice system is not one that releases everyone. It is not one that detains everyone.

It is one that makes the right decision, for the right case, with the right safeguards in place.

That is the bail reform conversation North Carolina deserves.