If you’re wondering what a bail is, it’s a legal agreement by a criminal defendant to appear for trial or to pay a designated amount of money (set by the court). Often, the bail bond is consigned by a licensed professional (also known as the bondsperson) who charges the defendant a fee in return for guaranteeing payment.
When it comes to opting for a bail bond, you’ll become familiar with criminal bail bonds and civil bail bonds. This bail bond acts as a guarantee that the payment of debt, interest, and costs that are assessed against the defendant.
A civil bail bond is another type of a bail bond that’s used in civil cases. This bail bond acts as a guarantee that the payment of debt, interest, and costs that are assessed against the defendant.
Who Has the Right to Bail?
Bail is an essential part of the justice system and should be granted to any individual who has been accused and charged of a non-capital crime.
Different states have different laws which dictate how long defendants or accused individuals can stay in custody before being released on bail or kept behind bars indefinitely pending trial. However, there is always the exception of dangerous criminals who pose flight risks as well as continual danger toward society at large based on their criminal history.
In a scenario where an individual is charged with a crime, they are usually granted the option of bail before the judge. Bail bonds are used when the defendant is considered low-risk and has a high likelihood of being released on their own recognizance.
On average, judges can set bail amounts between $500 to $20,000 however, this can greatly vary from case to case. This amount varies proportionally with the charges being put on the defendant. For instance, a nonviolent misdemeanor compared to a felony crime charge requires lower collateral before being released from jail pending trial.
Can You Still Continue Work?
One of the biggest advantages of opting for a bail bond is that it allows you to have the freedom of continuing with your normal life. Although if you’re choosing to work, it is strongly recommended that employers know about your current situation. Apart from the social stigma, there’s no legal reason why they can’t continue working while awaiting trial.
How a Bail Bond Works
Let’s use a scenario to better understand this:
Teressa is under arrest and the court has set $5000 as the bail amount. She hires a bail bondsperson to help with her release.
The bondsperson requires $1000 to post a bail bond for Teressa to release her from jail. For the $4000 left, Teressa has the option to either pay by cash/credit or give any of her assets of equal worth.
Now, so long as Teressa appears in all court appearances, the bail bond will be dissolved at the conclusion of her case. If she’s paid the $4000 as collateral, she’ll be able to collect that however, the $1000 she paid earlier would be the bail bondsperson’s earning. Alternatively, if Teressa fail to appear in court the bondsperson will have to pay the court the remaining $4000 that’s earlier collected from Teressa.
Often, people (defendants) hire bail bond services such as Hartford Bail Bonds when they’re unclear of legal processes, policies, and seek guidance. Convenience and the sensitivity of time in making decisions are some of the main reasons for a defendant prefer to pay a bail bondsperson.
When to opt for a Bail Bond
Just like the option of bail, bail bonds are also an essential function of the justice system. Bail bonds allow people that have been charged with crimes to get out of jail before their trial begins. These bonds are also used by those individuals who can’t afford it themselves, or are under a strict observation, or are unclear about the time period they will be detained, under arrest, or under the rules of impoundment.
The bail bond agency will ask for a non-refundable amount of money to ensure that the defendant is released from jail while your case goes through the court system.
The bail system is very important in the United States. It allows people who are awaiting trial to return home while they wait for their cases, and it ensures that accused criminals won’t flee before facing justice – however there may be some exceptions when an individual has committed a serious crime which would make them ineligible for release on bond (such as murder).
In the United States, if a person goes to trial and loses, they will likely be sent back to jail until their hearing or official verdict. These are some factors that influence the chances of the defendant being granted release:
- Ties, relationships and attitude of the defendant within the community
- Defendant’s past and present code of conduct
- The probability of danger along with Flight risk
- Probability of the defendant endangering witnesses or victims
- Source of funding
- The time of stay of living/residence in the area/community
- History of employment throughout the legal age
When a person is arrested, they must go through the court process. If it’s not their first time being taken into custody, then there will be an arraignment date as well as bail set at this point in order for you get back on your feet again while awaiting trial or release from prison altogether.
If you’re facing any kind of charge, it’s important that your bail bondsman has all the necessary paperwork in order. If for some reason our client does not appear in court or follow legal processes they will lose their collateral – meaning money put up by this company as security against their freedom.
Final Thoughts
A bail bond is a type of surety or an agreement that is used to release someone from jail. It helps in situations where the defender is of low risk to society. If you’re in the US, consider giving Hartford bail bonds a visit, or consult your local bail bond agency to stay best informed about your legal rights.
