Bail bonds
In its essence, a bail bond is a type of assurance that you will show up at the court hearing at the date specified. In return, you will be permitted to remain free even though you are still awaiting trial for a civil or criminal charge. Without a bail bond, you will remain prison while awaiting the court to rule on either conviction or acquittal. A bondsman can put up bail for you and get you released from prison.
Depending on the allegation, the cost of bail could be steep. Very few defendants can post the bail. Certainly there's a good reason why the correctional system is overloaded. But there's a legal solution to gain your temporary release from prison even when your case is still in progress. Using our website you can search for a reputable bondsman in Botetourt County.
Definition of bail bond
A bail bond allows the suspect to leave the custody of the police along with some preconditions specified by the judge. For example, the suspect is not permitted to get out of the state while the trial is ongoing. If the accused runs away or fails to attend the trial despite multiple summons, the court will forfeit the bail bond.
The bail bond is applicable to either civil and criminal charges. By taking on the the surety, the bail bond company in Botetourt County is answerable to the court in case the defendant takes off.
Why should I care about bail?
Unless you want to remain in jail, you will have to get out on bail. However, not a lot people can come up with the money, and that is why a bonding company is vital to anyone who would like to await their trial out of jail.
The exact amount of bail {will vary|depends on a lot of different aspects. As an example, two persons that committed the exact same criminal offense can have very different bail amounts. This can happen because the judge will look into your financial circumstances, previous arrests, your family ties to the community, and whether or not you are likely to run.
In most states, the cost of a bail bond is usually 10-20% of the overall bail amount, and this is non-refundable.
Additionally, the bail bondsman can help you navigate the complex judicial procedures. It's more convenient to hire their services then to deal with the legal system on your own.
How the bail bonds process works
Bear in mind: When you get arrested and booked for a supposed criminal offense, straight away ask for a lawyer to work with you and protect your legal rights. Also, call a reliable family member to link you up with a bail agent to initiate the bail process. As soon as this contact is made, the bondsman will require answers to basic questions such as the suspect's name, date of birth, and the place or city of the arrest. The bondsman will then propose to post the bail for you in return for an affordable service fee. Once the agreement is made, the bonding company will continue with the actions to secure your release. Within hours, following the action taken by your bondsman, you can walk out of jail, a free man once again.
What your bail bondsman needs to have from you
When you or a friend get in contact with a bail bondsman, the latter will ask the following questions:
- The name of the accused
- The name and location of the jailhouse where the suspect is held
- The booking number in the police blotter
- The charges filed against the defendant
- Any other related info
What is accepted as collateral?
In most cases, the bondsman will require collateral with the deal. This is understandable, taking into account the risks involved. An inmate is a flight risk, and are countless occasions where a bail bondsman had to employ the services of a bounty hunter to bring back 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 bail. Below are a number of examples:
- Realty
- Cars
- Shares
- Jewelry
- Electronics
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
If you find that the bail bond is too high, bonding companies usually offer payment plans that you can make use of. Simply speak with the bail bondsman to figure out which option is the best one in your circumstances.
You can use our website to search for a bonding company that is perfect for your needs. Most of them are open 24x7, ready to help you or your loved one to spend the least amount of time in jail as possible.
