A bail bond is an amount paid to get a defendant out of law enforcement custody. As soon as you register a bail, an offender is set free under given conditions. From there, the defendant can attend court until they are declared innocent or guilty on the final hearing.
Now, bail amounts within the United States are set in 48 hours by the courts. Before your bail hearing, there are several things that you should expect throughout the whole process.
Here’s a list of what to expect when it’s time for your bail bond.
Expect To Work With A Bail Bond Company
You need to understand the dynamics of how bail bond companies operate. A bondsman will be of great service. As such, it’s vital to know how to find one like the affordable bail bonds at Freedom / Libertad Bail Bonds, as bail amounts are a huge investment. Therefore, you must be very careful when putting your money at stake.
As soon as you register for bail, the bail bond agency will assist you in recovering the amount by making court appointments for you in court to ensure that you attend those hearings.
Bonds Are Different, Understand The One Issued To You
There are numerous types of bonds, the most common being money and surety. A cash bond may imply that you have to sort out the total amount with cash. Cash bonds are usually costly since the offender doesn’t usually have an attorney by their side most of the time.
On the other hand, the courts set surety bonds for more significant crimes like felonies. A surety bond is super expensive, and a lot of the time requires the intrusion of a bondsman or an attorney.
You Might Need Collateral
Every state has its regulations on bail. Even with the total amount required for the bail in cash, you may not be granted bail without the necessary assets. Typically, an asset such as a property that is worth a lot of money is usually acceptable. Other collateral might be credit cards, jewelry, automobiles, stocks, et cetera.
Each Guarantor Will Charge You Differently
Expect each bondsman to have their price tags. Most bail bond agents charge 10% of the total bail amount, but these rates differ from agency to agency, depending on where you reside. It’s essential to shop around across different bail bond companies to find the most favorable rates.
With many businesses seeking money in the market, you should find a reputable and trustworthy bail bond company.
Various Factors Will influence Your Bail Amount
Baily amounts differ from state to state; it’s not the same in every state. Other factors that influence bail amounts can be the severity of a crime, criminal history, contempt of court, just to name a few.
You Might Not Get Your Cash Back
One of the very first things that defenders think of when posting bail is whether they will get back their money or not. It’s not definite that you’ll get back your money. Hiring a bail bond agent means that you will be paying for their services and not the bail costs. If you deposit a cash bond, you may get a portion of it back, but there’s no refund on a surety bond.
You should also understand that most of the cash deposited by a defendant goes into the court process, which covers defense fees, fines, and court charges.
Your Bail Won’t Be Free
Bail bonds can never be free. A typical myth hounded around that bails can be free at times is not entirely untrue. You should understand that collateral is the only way to trade for bail. Every criminal offense will eventually be costly, so there is no such thing as free bail.
There Are Dire Consequences If You Violate a Bond’s Terms
When applying for a bond, it would be helpful to read the bond conditions and adhere strictly to them. For example, ensure that you attend court on all the provided dates before the final sentencing, as it is usually a part of the bond condition. If you fail, the court will most likely order your arrest. Additionally, any contempt of the court will have repercussions on the outcome of the case.
You Might Need An Attorney
If a defendant feels that the bail amount set by the court is too high, they might need a good lawyer’s services to help them negotiate with a court of law. Your attorney will provide arguments assuring the judge that you will attend future hearings as scheduled. If you have a good attorney and a good record, the judge may reduce the defendant’s bail.
