How To Post A Bail Bond To Get Out Of Jail
If someone has been accused of a crime and is awaiting their court date, it is common for a judge to allow an early release if they post bail. This is a specific amount of money that the court will hold as collateral to ensure that the person returns for their court date, with more serious crimes having a higher bail requirement. What do you do if you can't afford bail but still seek early release? You need to turn to a bail bondsman to help come up with the cash. Here is an overview of how the process works from start to finish.
Contacting The Bail Bondsman
Everything starts with contacting a local bail bondsman from jail. There are going to be plenty of them located near the jail, and the jail can even provide you with the contact information for one. They are going to look at your case and why you were arrested, the bail amount required, and make an assessment about how much the bail bond will cost you to get out of jail. This is known as the bail bond fee, and there are state limits that determine the maximum that a bail bondsman can charge.
Providing Collateral
Since the person in jail is only providing a small amount of the total bail amount, essentially using the bondsman to receive a loan, the bondsman will likely require collateral. This is something that the bondsman can collect if the person skips bail and doesn't return to court. This can be almost anything of high value, such as the deed to a house, a title to a vehicle, jewelry, and things of that nature.
Releasing You From Jail
The bail bondsman will then personally go down to the courthouse so that you can sign the paperwork related to the bail bond. The bondsman will then pay for your bail so that you can be released from jail. The bondsman will go over all the terms of using bail to ensure that you understand the law and what happens if you break it.
Returning The Bail Bond
The bail money will not be released until your court hearing is done. This means that you've had your court date and you have been found guilty or not guilty. If there is jail time involved in sentencing, the bail bond will be released when you return to jail. The bail bond will then be complete and each side will have fulfilled their obligations.
For more information on how to post bail bonds, contact a professional near you.