In this day and age, being arrested for a crime is something that almost everyone will have to deal with at least once in their lifetime. Even if you aren’t charged or convicted of a crime, the process can be a stressful one. If you do find yourself facing a charge for a crime, it’s important to know what your options are. One possible option you have is to pay a bail bond. This article will teach you everything you need to know about what a bail bond is, how it works and whether or not they are the right choice for your situation.
What are Bail Bonds?
A bail bond is an agreement between three parties: The accused being released from jail until their trial, a bail bond company that promises to pay the court if the accused doesn’t show up for their court date, and the person who is putting up their own money as collateral. If you are one of those three parties involved in the agreement, then congratulations! You have just secured your release from jail by paying a non-refundable fee. However, if you fail to show up for your trial or commit a crime during that time period and the bail bond company is forced to pay the court, then that money will be taken out of YOUR money.
What does this mean?
Essentially what it means is that when you purchase a bail bond, you are paying for insurance that ensures that you will return to court. If you are able to post bail on your own, then do it! It’s better for your wallet in the long run.
What is a Cash Bail?
When you are arrested and put in jail, there is generally a set amount of time that they can hold you before they have to officially charge you or release you. This is known as your bail amount and usually only the accused knows if they have enough money to pay it outright. If not, then a cash bail must be set by the judge.
A cash bail is essentially when someone posts their own property or money with the court in order to secure their release from jail until their trial. This means that you will not lose any money and ONLY needs to be paid if you fail to show up to court or commit a crime during your time of release. If the allegations against you are dropped, then you should get all of your money back minus any administrative fees charged by the court.
What is a COD Bail?
A COD bail is a cash on delivery bail. This means that you can have someone else post your bail for you as long as they provide the court with the full amount of the bond that has been purchased and a receipt signifying a payment was made. This isn’t a common practice, but it does happen from time to time.
What is a CASH ONLY Bail?
A cash only bail is where you are required to post your full bond amount in order to secure your release from jail. If the allegations against you are dropped or dismissed, then you will get ALL of your money back minus any administrative fees charged by the court.
What Does This All Mean?
A bail bond is essentially like insurance for your release from jail. It’s better to purchase a bail bond than post cash, even if you have the money because if you fail to show up for court or commit a crime during your time of release, then they will take the full amount of the CASH ONLY bail out of YOUR MONEY.
Bail bonds are not the best choice for everyone. Some people, such as those with a high-risk of flight or violence may not be allowed to post bail at all. This means that you will have to wait until your trial begins before you can prove that you deserve to be released from jail without paying any money upfront. If you cannot afford to pay a cash bail, then you should contact a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. In the meantime, you will be forced to remain in jail until your trial.