Bail bonds
When you have been detained for a severe crime, you have to remain in jail while waiting for the bail hearing. During the bail hearing, the court will set the amount of bail that will get you released from prison. If you or a friend can quickly raise the money, then there's no problem. However, if you don't have any funds available, you are forced to remain in jail while waiting for your trial -- a scary prospect to contemplate. The good news is, there is a way out of your predicament: You or your family can seek help from a bondsman that can post your bail to the court, get you released from prison.
But how can you contact a bondsman ? That's where our site can help: We can help you search for a reputable and reliable bail bond agent in Franklin County who can put up the needed bail to make it possible for you to get out of jail.
Why does a judge impose a bail bond ?
The law permits the services of a bondsman to post a bail bond, also known as surety bond, to help a defendant get temporary freedom 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 judge does not impose a criminal bail bond to punish you for your supposed crime. You are still presumed innocent till proven guilty. Nonetheless, the court needs to have an assurance that you will appear in court to face your accuser; therefore, the requirement to post bail. If you attend all of your scheduled criminal procedures as promised, and you are in the end acquitted, the bail will be repaid to you. If you are condemned, the bail will be used to take care of the penalties and fines that the judge may impose on you. If you miss the court appearances, the bail will be lost and you will be subject to getting arrested.
The same reasoning holds with civil bail bonds. The bail imposed on civil cases functions as a guarantee or a surety that the defendant will be capable to pay the fines and penalties that the judge can require from the defendant after the trial.
Why should I care about bail?
Except if you want to stay in jail, you have to make bail. At the same time, very few individuals can afford it, and that is why a bail bondsman is very important to anyone who would like to wait for their trial out of prison.
The amount of bail {will vary|depends on a lot of different aspects. For example, two individuals who committed the same criminal offense can have very different amounts of bail. This can happen because the court will take into consideration your financial circumstances, prior arrests, your family ties to the area, and if you are a flight risk.
In most states, the cost of a bail bond is normally 10-20% of the total amount of bail, and this will not be refunded.
In addition, the bail bondsman can help you maneuver around the complex judicial proceedings. It's more convenient to hire their services then to deal with the court on your own.
How does the bail bond process work?
Finding a good bail agent is important. Sadly, there are unscrupulous individuals out there that prey on unsuspicious people that are already desperate for help.
So be prepared when you talk to a bail bondsman. Ask all questions you might have, and only once all your questions are answered should you continue with the subsequent steps of employing them. They can then start with paying the bail and submitting the required paperwork to get you or your loved one out.
What details does a bonding company need?
When you speak to a bonding company, they will ask for:
- The full name and age of the offender
- The jail where the offender is locked up
- The booking reference number and the charges
Will the bail bondsman need collateral for their service?
If a bail bondsman will want collateral for posting bail differs between cases, but it is typical in the industry. As for the type of collateral that is accepted, the list is just far too long to mention all. Suffice to say that if a bail bondsman thinks that something has value, it can be used as collateral. Below are just a couple of examples:
- House or land
- Vehicles, boats, yachts
- Jewelry or gems
- Shares, stocks or equities
- Bank accounts
- TV, appliances or other devices
- Antiques or art collections
- Farm equipment
And if available, you could also make use of payment plans provided by a bonding company.
When you or a family member run the risk of remaining in jail for a long time because you are not able to raise the bail money, a bail bondsman is the only course of action that is left. By using our site you can find a bonding company in Franklin County. Many of them are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
