Bail bonds
When you have been detained for a serious criminal offense, you have to remain in prison while waiting for the bail hearing. During the bail hearing, the judge will determine the bail amount that will get you released from prison. If you or your family has the money, then everything is fine. However, if you don't have any available funds, you will be forced to remain behind bars while awaiting your court hearing -- a scary thing to consider. Fortunately, there is a solution: You or your family can look for help from a bail bondsman that can post your bail to the court, get you released from prison.
But how do you get in touch with a bail bondsman ? That's where this site can help: We can help you locate a trustworthy and reliable bail bond agent in St. Charles County who can post the necessary bail to allow you to get out of jail.
Use a bail bond to gain temporary freedom after an arrest
The legal system permits a commercial bonding company to post a bail bond, also known as surety bond, to help people arrested and charged with a crime get temporarily released from prison while waiting for their court appearance.
The judicial system allows two kinds of bail -- a criminal bail bond and a civil bail bond.
To make it clear, a judge does not require a criminal bail bond to penalize you for your supposed criminal offense. You are still innocent up until proven guilty. Having said that, the judge requires a guarantee that you will appear at trial to face your accuser; hence, the need to post bail. If you show up at all 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 cover the penalties and fines that the judge may impose on you. If you miss the court hearings, your bail will be forfeited and you will be subject to getting arrested.
However, the civil bail bonds enforced on civil cases work as a guarantee or a surety with the court where the debts, claims, and costs enforced on the defendant can be drawn from.
Why should I care about bail?
Unless you are planning to remain in prison, you need to make bail. At the same time, very few people have the money available, which is why a bail bondsman is crucial to anybody who wants to wait for their trial out of prison.
The amount of bail {will vary|depends on a lot of different aspects. As an example, two individuals that committed the exact same criminal offense can have very different amounts of bail. This occurs because the court will take into consideration your financial situation, previous arrests, your family ties to the community, and if you pose a flight risk.
In nearly all states, the rate charged by the bonding company is normally 10-20% of the total bail, and this is non-refundable.
Additionally, the bonding company can assist you navigate the complex judicial proceedings. It's easier to employ their services then to deal with the court on your own.
How does the bail bonds process work?
To start the bail bonds procedure, you first have to find a bonding comany. You can do that in person, over the phone and even via the internet. Given the strict adherence to professionalism, a bondsman will happily walk you through the bail bond procedure and iron out any reservations that you might have.
Time is of the essence during this process. As soon as the bail bondsman answered all of your questions to your satisfaction, the bail agent will handle all of the procedures necessary to get you or your loved one released from jail.
To ensure all goes well, a bondsman needs to have the accused's name, birthdate, and the location or area of the arrest. With this info, the agent will have the ability to get additional details from the jail system needed to secure the release. After managing all the formalities, the bondsman will visit the prison to get the accused out.
Utilizing a bail bondsman to bail out yourself or someone you know is that easy, you can be out of prison and reunited with your loved ones in a matter of hours.
Going to meet with a bondsman?
You need to have the following info handy when speaking with the bonds agent:
- The accused's name
- The prison, city, and county where the offender is committed
- The defendant's booking number
- The charges the suspect is facing
- The amount of the bail bond
What is accepted as collateral?
Almost always, the bondsman will require collateral with the deal. This is reasonable considering the risks that are involved. An offender is a possible flight risk, and there have been countless occasions where a bail bondsman had to employ a bounty hunter to recover the fleeing offender.
But what is accepted as collateral? Basically, when a bail bondsman considers something valuable, you can use it as a guarantee for the bond. Listed below are a some examples:
- Real estate
- Cars
- Stocks
- Jewelry
- Electronic devices
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
If you have trouble paying for the bond, bail bonds companies usually offer payment plans that you can use. Just speak with the bail bondsman to determine what option is best suited in your circumstances.
You can use our website to find a bondsman that is perfect for your needs. Many of them are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ready to help you or a friend to spend the least amount of time in jail as possible.
