What is the Bail Bond Procedure?
If you have never been arrested before, the bail bond procedure can seem a bit confusing. Here at Free at Last Bail Bonds, we do everything in our power to make this process as easy as possible for you so that you can get released from jail and get back to your family right away. Here’s an overview of how the process works.
Setting the Bail Amount
When you are arrested, you’ll be taken to the local police station or jail to be booked, or entered into the system. Once the charges against you have been identified, the judge who is presiding over your case will set the bail amount that you will need to pay to secure your release. The amount is usually in the tens of thousands, although it can be significantly higher for serious offenses or for defendants that the court believes to be flight risks.
Because the dollar amount is usually quite high, there are not many people who can afford to just fork over the cash. That’s where bail bonds come in. A bail bonds company will essentially loan you the money in exchange for a fee, usually ten percent of the amount of your bail. The bail bond acts as a guarantee that you will show up to court on your assigned date. If you fail to appear, you’ll have to pay the bail bonds company the full amount of your bond, which it will then turn over to the court.
Securing Your Release
In submitting a bail bond, you’ll need a friend or family member to act as a co-signer on the bond. What this means is that this person is committing to turning you in if you miss your court date, violating the terms of your bail bond agreement. After the bond is signed, the bail bonds company will submit the money to the court so that you can be released. Depending on the day you are arrested, you may be eligible to get out of jail right away. If you are arrested on the weekend, though, you’ll have to wait until Monday for the judge to set your bail.
Once you have been released, all that’s left for you to do is turn up to your court date as assigned and complete the terms of your sentence, if any, assigned by the court. The bail bond will stay in effect until your case is resolved, as you may have multiple court dates to attend. After you have satisfied the requirements of the court, the judge will close your case, and you are back to being a free individual.
At Free at Last Bail Bonds, we are fully committed to reuniting families. If you or a loved one needs our services, we are here for you 24 hours a day at 470-410-3409.