Bail bonds
One of the most frightening places you can end up in is inside a jail cell after being arrested and accused of an alleged criminal offense. Things can go south even more when you or your family have no cash on hand to post your bail , which will allow you temporary freedom. During such a challenging moment, you first have to relax yourself, think straight, and choose the most effective solution: Contact a bail bondsman who can help a lot in getting you released from prison.
You are allowed at least one telephone call after your arrest. Use that phone call to get in touch with a family member and request him or her to contact a bail bond agent. Your family member can use our website to find a reliable bail bond agent in Erie who can then post the required bail on your behalf to secure your temporary freedom.
Use a bail bond to gain temporary freedom after getting arrested
The law permits a bondsman to post a bail bond, also referred to as surety bond, to help those arrested and charged with a crime gain temporary freedom while awaiting their court hearing.
The judicial system allows two kinds of bail bond-- a criminal bail bond as well as a civil bail bond.
To be clear, a court does not impose a criminal bail bond to punish you for your supposed criminal offense. You are still innocent up until proven guilty. That being said, the court needs to have a guarantee that you will appear in court to face your accuser; hence, the requirement to post bail. If you attend all of your arranged criminal procedures as required, and you are eventually acquitted, the bail amount will be returned to you. If you are condemned, the bail will be used to pay for the fines and penalties that the judge might enforce on you. If you skip the court appearances, the bail will be lost and you will be subject to arrest.
However, the civil bail bonds imposed on civil cases work as a guarantee or a surety with the court where the debts, interests, and costs imposed on the defendant can be drawn from.
A bondsman is your way to freedom
A bail bondsman is your quick link to freedom after your arrest. If you do not possess sufficient funds to bail yourself out and gain temporary liberty, your best option is a trusted bail bondsman that will cover the bail in your place. Most bondsmen charge a fee of 10% of the total bail amount. That is no more than fair, looking at the risk the bail bondsman is taking in providing the money. If you fail to turn up in court, the judge will forfeit the bail posted by the company. In any case, you need not trouble yourself with the finances now. Your immediate concern is to get yourself released from prison, and a trusted bail bondsman can handle that for you.
Additionally, you need not worry yourself with the complicated judicial process in posting bail since the bonding company will deal with that to facilitate your release from prison. The only thing that needs to be done is for you or someone else to contact a respected bondsman. That person will propose you a deal, proposing to pay your bail to get you released from prison in return for a small fee. With your permission, the bonding company will then put up the bail in your place, releasing you from prison.
You still have to show up at your trial though. But you will be coming to court in normal clothes and not in a prison jumpsuit. That could increase your self-confidence as you defend yourself from your accuser. Moreover, the judge presiding over your case will likely have a more favorable impression of you, rather than if you were to appear in court clothed in jail attire, seeming like you're already guilty of the offense you're charged with even before the judge can come to a decision. You can say thanks to your bail bondsman for this.
How does the bail bonds process work?
To start the bail bonds process, you first need to find a bail agent. You can do that in person, over the phone and even via the internet. Given the strict adherence to professionalism, a bail bondsman will happily walk you through the bail procedure and straighten out any reservations that you might have.
Time is of the essence throughout this process. When the bail agent addressed all of your questions to your satisfaction, the bail bondsman will deal with all of the formalities needed to get you or your loved one released from prison.
To ensure all goes smoothly, a bail 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 extra info from the jail system needed to secure the release. After handling all the procedures, the bondsman will go over to the prison to get the accused released.
Utilizing a bondsman to bail out yourself or somebody you love is that straightforward, you can be out of jail and reunited with your loved ones in a matter of hours.
Information your bondsman needs to have
If you speak to a bondsman, you have to share these details:
- Your name if you are the suspect
- The name and location of the prison where the suspect is held
- The booking number in the police blotter
- The charges filed against the offender
- Any other important details
Collateral that a bonding company can accept
You are seeking the help of a bail bondsman precisely for the reason that you have no immediate source of money to use in paying your bail. But needless to say bonding companies will not pay out cash in your place without having a guarantee that they will be paid back. They will need collateral in the form of your possessions such as:
- Real estate
- Cars
- Bank accounts
- Jewelry
- Bonds
- Shares
- Credit cards
- Personal credit
Don't get discouraged by the amount you must pay back. Your bail bondsman will most likely give you convenient payment terms. The bonding company's affordable rate is not much compared to the comfort that the bail bondsman in Erie will give you by ensuring your release in the fastest way possible by simplifying the bail process. Know that somebody out there can help you in these times of great need. You or your family member can take your pick from the bonding companies listed in our website. Most of them are open for business 24/7.
