Bail bonds
When a suspect is apprehended, he or she will need to spend time in prison while awaiting a bail hearing. This hearing is a procedure in which the judge will set the amount of money that functions as an assurance to the court for the temporary freedom of the offender. But not everyone is able to come up with the requested amount of money, and then he or she will have to stay in prison during the course of the lawsuit. However, {it is possible to enlist the services of|you can make use of the services of a bondsman to pay for the amount.
We will help you find respectable bondsmen in Huntingdon County who will make sure that you or your loved ones can be free, at least up until the verdict and sentencing.
Use a bail bond to gain temporary freedom after getting arrested
The judicial system permits a bondsman to post a bail bond, also called surety bond, to help individuals arrested and charged with a criminal offense get temporary freedom while awaiting their court appearance.
The law allows two kinds of bail bond-- a criminal bail bond as well as a civil bail bond.
To make it clear, a court does not impose a criminal bail bond to penalize you for your alleged crime. You are still innocent till proven guilty. Nonetheless, the court requires a guarantee that you will show up at trial to face your accuser; thus, the requirement to post bail. If you participate in all your arranged criminal procedures as required, and you are in the end found not guilty, the bail amount will be returned to you. In case you are condemned, the bail amount will be used to pay for the penalties and fines that the judge may enforce on you. If you skip the court appearances, the bail will be forfeited and you will be subject to getting arrested.
On the other hand, the civil bail bonds imposed on civil cases work as a guarantee or a surety with the court where the debts, claims, and costs enforced on the offender can be drawn from.
Do I need to hire a bondsman?
If you are able to put up bail by yourself, you certainly don't need to have to work with a bail bondsman. For one, they ask a fee for their assistance, not to mention the collateral you must provide for what is undoubtedly categorized as a loan.
In nearly all states, the bonding company will charge about 10-20% of the total amount of the bail. You can't get this money refunded even if you are acquitted of the crime. On the upside, you don't need to stress over submitting the paperwork or need to deal with court staff since the bail bondsman will take care of everything for you. Second, you will have a better chance of having your bail application approved by virtue of the reputation of the bondsman alone. Thirdly, because of their experience with the process, you can possibly be released from prison in a matter of hours instead of days.
And lastly, the bonding company understands the benefit of a good impression while appearing in court. When you are transferred to the regional or federal prison, you are going to be transported to the courtroom in the official prisoner's jumpsuit. In contrast, when you made bail, you are able to dress smartly and make a good first impression on the judge and jury.
How does the bail bonds process work?
To start the bail bonds process, you first need to search for a bail bondsman. You can do that in person, over the phone and even via the internet. Given the stringent adherence to professionalism, a bail bondsman will gladly walk you through the bail process and straighten out any reservations that you may have.
Time is of the essence throughout this process. Once the bail bondsman answered all of your questions to your complete satisfaction, the bail agent will handle all of the procedures necessary to get you or your loved one released from prison.
To make sure all goes well, a bondsman needs to have the defendant's name, birthdate, and the location or city of the arrest. With this information, the agent will have the ability to get extra details from the prison system required to secure the release. After managing all the procedures, the bondsman will go over to the prison to get the accused out.
Utilizing a bail bondsman to bail out yourself or someone you know is that simple, you can be out of jail and reunited with your loved ones in a few hours.
Information your bail bondsman needs to have
If you get in touch with a bondsman, you will have to share the following details:
- Your name if you are the accused
- The name and location of the jailhouse where the accused is held
- The booking number in the police blotter
- The complaints filed against the offender
- Any other relevant info
Will the bail bondsman require collateral for their service?
If a bondsman requires collateral for posting bail will vary between cases, but it is a common practice in the industry. As for the sort of collateral that is accepted, the list is just way too long to mention all. But if a bondsman believes that an item is valueable, it could be acceptable as collateral. Below are just a few examples:
- House or land
- Vehicles, boats, yachts
- Jewelry or gemstones
- Shares, stocks or equities
- Bank accounts
- TV, appliances or other devices
- Antiques or art collections
- Farm equipment
And when available, you could also make use of payment plans provided by a bail bondsman.
If you or a friend run the risk of staying in jail for a long time simply because you are not able to come up with the amount, a bondsman is the only alternative that is left. On our website you can look for a bail bondsman in Huntingdon County. Most of them are open 24x7.
