Bail bonds
When a person is jailed and charged for a major criminal offense, they should wait in jail till a bail hearing. It is at this bail hearing that the judge determines the bail amount. If that individual can't raise the amount, they need to remain in prison until their court hearing. But that does not always need to hold true; they can also seek the help of a bondsman.
Sadly, the majority of people wind up remaining in prison until their court appearance because many do not have a large sum of money available in the bank.
Our site will assist you with bailing out your loved ones by connecting you to reliable and cost effective bail bond agents in Linn County.
Why does a judge impose a bail bond ?
The law permits the services of a bondsman to post a bail bond, also called surety bond, to help a suspect gain temporary freedom while waiting for their court appearance.
The law allows two kinds of bail -- a criminal bail bond and a civil bail bond.
To make it clear, a court does not require a criminal bail bond to punish you for your supposed crime. You are still presumed innocent until proven guilty. That being said, the judge needs a guarantee that you will show up in court to face your accuser; therefore, the requirement to post bail. If you attend all of your scheduled criminal proceedings as promised, and you are eventually acquitted, the bail will be returned to you. In the case that you are found guilty, the bail will be used to pay for the penalties and fines that the judge might enforce on you. When you miss the court appearances, your bail will be lost and you will be subject to arrest.
The same justification applies to civil bail bonds. The bail imposed on civil cases serves as a guarantee or a surety that the defendant will be able to pay the penalties and fines that the judge can require from the suspect after the trial.
How useful is a bail bond?
A bondsman is your biggest hope to not spend too much time in prison when you don't have sufficient money available to pay your bail. A bonding company generally charges a non-refundable fee of 10% of the total bail. That is no more than reasonable, looking at the risk the bondsman is taking in providing the bail bond. In any case, the most pressing concern is to get you out of jail, and for that need to search for a reputable bondsman in your local area.
An agreement with a bonding company is also helpful due to the fact that the latter will facilitate your release from jail, simplifying a complicated judicial procedure. You can just call a bondsman who will provide you a deal and request you to give the necessary info about yourself, or an individual you would like to bail out. In case you accept the deal, you can just relax and wait for the bonding company to put up the bail in your place.
Of course you still have to be at your hearing. However, now that you're free on bail, you can show up in court in your own clothes. When you had stayed in jail because you could not afford to put up bail, you would have turned up in court in a prison uniform-- and that does not make a good impression. A bail bondsman allows you to make a decent appearance in the courtroom, which really matters a lot because first impressions matter.
How the bail bonds process works
Remember this: If you are arrested and taken into custody for a supposed criminal offense, immediately demand for an attorney to work with you and protect your rights. Also, call a trusted person to get in touch with a bonding company to initiate the bail bonds process. When this link is made, the bonding company will want answers to general questions like the suspect's name, birthdate, and the area or city of the arrest. The bondsman will then propose to pay the bail money on your behalf in return for a service fee. Immediately after the deal is made, the bonding company will continue with the necessary steps to secure your release from prison. Within hours, after the action taken by your bondsman, you can walk out of jail, a free man once again.
What information should I have when getting in touch with a bail bondsman?
When contacting a bail bondsman, make sure that you have:
- The full name of the accused
- The name of the jail the offender is jailed in
- The booking number
- The charges
- Any other relevant information you can think of
What does a bondsman accept as collateral?
Not everyone will have the money lying around to pay a bail bondsman, but that does not mean you can not utilize one to get yourself or someone else out of prison. If you do not have enough money, you can also put up a few of your possessions as collateral. Some items generally accepted as collateral include:
- Real estate
- Automobiles
- Visa or mastercard
- Stocks
- Bonds
- Jewelry
- Personal credit
- Bank accounts
Additionally, most bail bondsmen will also provide you with the possibility for a payment plan that is within your budget and does not add more pressure during these trying times.
The bail bonds procedure can be puzzling and every bit as wearisome, but the good news is that the majority of bail bondsmen are ready to support you 24×7. Using our site you can search for a credible bonding company in Linn County. They will be more than delighted to help you get you or your loved one from prison!
