Bail bonds
Essentially, a bail bond is a kind of assurance that you will attend the hearing at the specified date. In return, you are allowed to remain free even though you are still undergoing trial for a civil or criminal charge. Alternatively, you will stay jail while waiting on the court to rule on either conviction or acquittal. A bondsman can put up bail for you and get you out of jail.
Depending upon the allegation, the cost of bail could be expensive. Not many accuseds can post the bail bond. Certainly there's a good reason why the penal system is overloaded. But there's a lawful manner in which to earn your temporary freedom even if your lawsuit is ongoing. Using our website you can search for a trustworthy bonding company in St. Johns County.
Why does a judge impose a bail bond ?
The legal system permits the services of a commercial bonding company to post a bail bond, also called surety bond, to help an offender get temporary liberty while waiting for their court appearance.
The legal system allows two kinds of bail -- a criminal bail bond as well as a civil bail bond.
To make it clear, a judge does not require a criminal bail bond to punish you for your alleged criminal offense. You are still innocent until proven guilty. Nonetheless, the judge needs an assurance that you will appear at trial to face your accuser; thus, the need to post bail. If you show up at all your scheduled criminal procedures as promised, and you are in the end acquitted, the bail will be repaid to you. In case you are condemned, the bail money will be used to pay for the fines and penalties that the judge might impose on you. If you skip the court hearings, the bail will be lost and you will be subject to arrest.
The same reasoning applies to civil bail bonds. The bail imposed on civil cases works as a guarantee or a surety that the accused will be capable to pay the penalties and fines that the judge may impose on the defendant after the trial.
Do I need to hire a bail bondsman?
If you can afford to post bail on your own, you don't have to employ the services of a bonding company. For one, they require a small fee for their assistance, not to mention the collateral you must provide for what is undoubtedly classified as a loan.
In nearly all states, the bonding company will charge a fee of about 10-20% of the total amount of the bond. You can't get this money back even if you are cleared of the charge. On the upside, you don't need to stress over filing the necessary documents or have to deal with court personnel since the bondsman will handle all that . Besides that, you will have a better chance of getting your bail petition approved because of the reputation of the bail bondsman alone. Thirdly, due to their experience with the procedure, you can possibly be out of jail in a couple of hours.
Finally, the bonding company recognizes the advantage of a good impression while appearing in court. If you are transferred to the local or federal jail, you will be hauled to the courthouse in the official prisoner's jumpsuit. In contrast, when you made bail, you are able to dress smartly and ensure a good impression on the judge and jury.
How does the bail bonds process work
Keep in mind: If you are arrested and taken into custody for an alleged crime, straight away request for an attorney to represent you and protect your rights. In addition, call a trusted friend to connect you with a bail bondsman to start the bail bonds process. As soon as this contact is made, the bondsman will need answers to general questions such as the accused's name, date of birth, and the location or city of the arrest. The bondsman will then propose to put up the bail bond in your place in return for a service fee. As soon as the deal is made, the bail bondsman will proceed with the necessary actions to have you released from prison. In a matter of hours, following the actions taken by your bail bondsman, you can walk out of prison, a free man once more.
Going to meet with a bondsman?
You need to have the following information on hand when talking to the bonds agent:
- The accused's name
- The prison, city, and county where the offender is held
- The suspect's booking number
- The charges the accused is facing
- The amount of money of the bail
What does a bail bondsman accept as collateral?
Not everyone will have the money lying around to pay a bonding company, but that does not mean you can not use one to get yourself or someone else out of prison. If you don't have enough cash, you can also put up a number of your assets as collateral. Some items ordinarily accepted as collateral are:
- Realty
- Cars and trucks
- Credit cards
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Jewelry
- Personal credit
- Bank accounts
Moreover, most bail bondsmen will also offer you with the option for a payment plan that you can afford and does not add more stress during these difficult times.
The bail bonds process can be puzzling and just as wearisome, but the bright side is that most bail bondsmen are ready to help you 24×7. Using our website you can search for a trustworthy bonding company in St. Johns County. They will be more than happy to help you secure you or your loved one from prison!
