Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

Re: bond issue

It depends who put the money at risk.

If a person is released on a cash bond then the person who deposited that money with the sheriff/court would get a refund.

Hiring a bondsman is like buying an insurance policy. The bondsman buys a policy that pays the court if the defendant does not appear for court and becomes a fugitive. If the defendant does appear at court and if the matter concludes without the defendant becoming a fugitive then the insurance policy simply lapses and the bondsman and insurer keep their fees because the insurer's money was at risk. The buyer of the policy paid the bondsman to take the risk.