Bail bonds
Among the most frightening situations you can find yourself in is inside a prison after being apprehended and charged with an supposed criminal offense. Things can go wrong even more when you or your loved ones have no immediate money on hand to post your bail bond, which will allow you get released from jail until your court hearing. During such a difficult situation, you first need to calm yourself, think straight, and opt for the most effective solution: Contact a bail bondsman who can help a lot in getting you out of prison.
You are allowed at least one telephone call following your arrest. Use that phone call to connect with a loved one and request that person to connect with a bail bondsman. Your loved one could visit our website to look for a reliable bail bond agent in Sutter County who can then post the required bail on your behalf to secure your freedom.
Why does a judge impose a bail bond ?
The judicial system allows the services of a commercial bonding company to post a bail bond, also referred to as surety bond, to help an accused get temporary liberty while waiting for their trial.
The law allows two types of bail -- a criminal bail bond and a civil bail bond.
To be clear, a court does not impose a criminal bail bond to penalize you for your alleged criminal offense. You are still innocent until proven guilty. Having said that, the court requires a guarantee that you will show up at trial to face your accuser; thus, the requirement to post bail. If you show up at all your arranged criminal procedures as required, and you are in the end found not guilty, the bail amount will be repaid to you. In case you are condemned, the bail amount will be used to cover the fines and penalties that the judge might enforce on you. If you miss the court hearings, the bail will be forfeited and you will be subject to getting arrested.
The same justification applies to civil bail bonds. The bail enforced on civil cases serves as a guarantee or a surety that the defendant will be capable to pay the fines and penalties that the judge can impose on the accused after the trial.
Why should I care about bail?
Except if you are planning to remain in prison, you have to make bail. Unfortunately, very few people are able to afford it, which is why a bondsman is crucial to anyone that would like to await their trial outside of prison.
The exact amount of bail {will vary|depends on a lot of different factors. For instance, two persons who committed the exact same criminal offense can have very different bails set. This can happen because the judge will take cognizance of your financial situation, previous arrests, your roots in the area, and whether you are likely to run.
In almost all states, the rate charged by the bail bondsman is normally 10-20% of the total bail amount, and this will not be refunded.
Additionally, the bonding company can assist you navigate the complex judicial proceedings. It's easier to hire a bail bondsman then to deal with the legal system by yourself.
How does the bail bond process work?
Finding the right bail bondsman is important. Sadly, there are dishonest agents around that exploit unsuspicious people that are already desperate .
Make sure you are ready when you talk to a bonding company. Ask all your questions, and only after all your questions are answered should you take the next steps of employing them. They can then start with posting the bail and filing the necessary paperwork to get you or your loved one released.
Going to meet with a bail bondsman?
You should have have the following relevant information handy when speaking with the bondsman:
- The suspect's full name
- The jail, city, and county where the suspect is committed
- The accused's booking number
- The charges the defendant is facing
- The amount of the bail
Will the bondsman need collateral ?
Whether or not a bondsman will want collateral for will vary between cases, however, it is a common practice in the business. Regarding the kind of collateral that is accepted, the list is just far too long to mention all. But if a bondsman believes that an item has value, it could be acceptable as collateral. Below are just a few examples:
- Real estate or property
- Vehicles, boats, yachts
- Jewelry or gems
- Shares, stocks or equities
- Bank accounts
- TV, appliances or other electronics
- Antiques or art collections
- Farm equipment
And if available, you can also make use of payment plans provided by a bondsman.
If you or your loved ones are in danger of staying in jail for quite some time simply because you can not raise the amount, a bondsman is the only alternative that is left. On our site you can search for a bail bondsman in Sutter County. A lot of them are open for business 24x7.
