Bail bonds
When an individual is incarcerated and booked for a serious criminal offense, they need to wait in jail until a bail hearing. It is during this bail hearing that the judge determines the bail amount. If that person can't raise the amount, they need to stay in prison till their court hearing. However that does not always have to hold true; they can also look for the services of a bondsman.
Unfortunately, most people end up staying in prison till their court date since most do not have a large sum of cash sitting around in the bank.
Our site will help you with bailing out your loved ones by connecting you to credible and budget friendly bail bond representatives in Rockville.
Why does a judge impose bail ?
The law allows the services of a bail bondsman to post a bail bond, also called surety bond, to help a suspect gain temporary liberty while awaiting their court appearance.
The judicial system allows two types of bail -- a criminal bail bond as well as a civil bail bond.
To be clear, a judge does not require a criminal bail bond to punish you for your supposed criminal offense. You are still presumed innocent until proven guilty. Even so, the judge needs a guarantee that you will appear in court to face your accuser; therefore, the requirement to post bail. If you participate in all of your arranged criminal procedures as promised, 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 pay for the fines and penalties that the judge might impose on you. When you miss the court appearances, your bail will be forfeited and you will be subject to arrest.
The same reasoning applies with the civil bail bonds. The bail enforced on civil cases works as an assurance or a surety that the defendant will be capable to pay the fines and penalties that the judge might require from the suspect after the trial.
Why should I care about a bail bond?
Except if you are planning to remain in prison, you have to get out on bail. At the same time, not many individuals are able to afford it, and that is why a bonding company is very important to anybody who wishes to wait for their trial outside of jail.
The exact amount of bail {will vary|depends on a lot of different aspects. For instance, two individuals who committed the same crime can have very different bails set. This occurs because the court will look into your financial circumstances, previous arrests, your family ties to the community, and whether you pose a flight risk.
In almost all states, the cost of a bail bond is normally 10-20% of the total amount of bail, and you will not get this back.
Also, the bondsman can help you with the complex judicial proceedings. It's more convenient to employ their services then to deal with the legal system by yourself.
How does the bail bond process work?
Finding a good bonding company is important. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous agents around that exploit unsuspicious families that are already desperate .
Make sure you are ready when you speak with a bonding company. Ask all questions you might have, and only once all your questions are answered should you take the next steps of hiring them. They can then proceed with posting the bail and filing the required papers to get you or a friend released.
Preparing to meet with a bail bondsman?
You need to have the following information on hand when talking with the bail bondsman:
- The offender's name
- The prison, city, and county where the suspect is committed
- The suspect's booking number
- The charges the suspect is facing
- The amount of money of the bail bond
What is accepted as collateral?
Almost always, the bondsman will ask for collateral with the deal. This is understandable, considering the risks involved. An offender is a possible flight risk, and are plenty of examples where a bondsman had to employ a bounty hunter to bring back the fleeing defendant.
But what is accepted as collateral? Basically, when a bail bondsman considers something valuable, you can use it as collateral for the bail bond. Below are a couple of examples:
- Realty
- Automobiles
- Shares
- Jewelry
- Electronics
- Bank accounts
- Visa or mastercard
If you find that the bail bond is too high, bonding companies usually have payment options that you can make use of. Simply speak with the bondsman to figure out which option is best suited with regard to your circumstances.
Use this website to find a bonding company that is perfect for your needs. Many of them are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, ready to assist you or a family member to spend the as little time as possible in jail.
