Using Bail To Get Out Of Jail – What A Civil Idea

By Aazdak Alisimo

When you really think about it, the concept of bail is a pretty civilized idea. If you’ve been arrested for a crime, buying your freedom is probably a small price to pay.

The story of bail could be said to have originated in medieval England where the local sheriff had the basic right to hold an accused person or to release him prior to trial. Apparently, this system was much abused with the sheriff deciding those who could pay him the most deserved to wait for their trials at home, and the ones unable to pay would wait in the jail. As early as 1275, laws were enacted to define what offenses were “bail offences”, and which were not.

The problem came to a head in the 17th century. The King of England, Charles I, decided he needed some loans from his nobles. Those that refused to make the loans were imprisoned. Apparently, the idea was that the nobles would rot in jail while the King worked out exactly what offense they had committed and arranged a trial. This process could have been extended forever. The English Parliament got involved and passed the Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 that said that an Englishman could not be held without a chance to post some sort of surety bond unless accused of a heinous crime or some other justifiable circumstance.

Ten years, later, the English Bill of Rights made this a basic part of English law. People were guaranteed the right to be free from excessive and unreasonable bail that was designed to hold them in jail unfairly before an actual trial or sentence. This became the basis of the 8th Amendment in the United States Bill of Rights. The concept of Habeas Corpus was established. It is based on the concept that no man is guilty until proven so in a court of law, and so, does not deserve to be imprisoned until a trial has decreed a sentence.

Bail became the way to insure this right, and it could not be excessive or unfair. Yet, on the other hand, although people are innocent until proven guilty, some of them are guilty and will eventually be proven so. The bail system had to insure against the release of criminals who would only flee and either escape or be recaptured at great expense.

In the United States, the major issues that have been addressed by the various changes in the bail laws have been of the danger of released accused fleeing or, worse, committing additional crimes. The idea that certain people pose a danger to the community and should be denied bail is at the heart of the current United States Code regarding bail. This determination demands a judicial decision. The question of the rights of the accused versus the safety of the community underlie all debate on bail laws.

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How Do Bail Bonds Work?

By Damian Sofsian -

The posting of a bail bond is a contractual undertaking guaranteed by a bail agent and an individual posting bail. This bail agent provides a guarantee to the court that the defendant will appear in court each and every time he or she is summoned by the judge.

A relative or a family friend contacts the bail agent, before the defendant is released, to arrange for the posting of a bail. The bail agent gets a percentage of the amount decided by the judge for that particular defendant. By signing the agreement with the bail agent regarding posting the bail, the defendant or the co-signer, who might be a relative or a family friend, must provide a guarantee that the bail amount will definitely be paid in full if the defendant fails to appear at the summons. After an agreement is signed, the bail agent posts a bond for the amount of the bail, to guarantee the defendant’s return to court.

Some bail agents prefer to have the defendant or the co-signer arrange for a collateral. Even if the collateral is not requested by the agent, the minimum criteria is that the co-signer must have a steady income, and must either own or rent a home in the same area as the defendant for some period of time. If the bail agent or the co-signer is unable to locate the defendant, the cosigner is immediately responsible for the full amount of the bail. After the defendant is located and arrested by the bail agent the cosigner is responsible for all expenses the bail agent incurs while looking for the defendant.

If the defendant cannot raise the entire amount of the bail, then the court might allow a situation in which the defendant pays a percentage of the amount directly to the local jail or court. But this is not a common practice in most courts.

Defendants also have the option of arranging for their bail through a bail bondsman. However, this involves the defendant providing a collateral to the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman or bail bond company representative will then guarantee to pay the court if the defendant fails to appear for trial, by posting a surety bail bond power of attorney with the jail or court. After the defendant has completed all court appearances and the case is closed, the bail bond will be dissolved and any collateral given to the bail bondsman will be returned to the defendant shortly thereafter.

A co-signer always has the responsibility to ensure that the defendant appears in court as and when required. The co-signer must know the whereabouts of the defendant at all times and must immediately notify the bail bondsman if the defendant has moved. Since the co-signer’s collateral is at risk if the defendant fails to show up as summoned, it is advised to be cautious when it comes to keeping an eye on the defendant. [http://www.bailbonds-web.com]Bail Bonds provides detailed information about bail bonds, bail bond companies, bail bond license, and more. Bail Bonds is affiliated with [http://www.i-criminalrecords.com]Free Criminal Records.

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Online Bail Bonds

By Damian Sofsian

Being arrested can be a horrible experience and it is always embarrassing for the people involved and their families. The first step to get out of this mess is by securing a bail. Bail is a process of providing money or surety to get out of jail after an arrest. When people make bail, they are still expected to appear in court whenever they are asked to do so. Bail is a temporary freedom, and the ability to post bail is not granted to everyone arrested, depending on the severity what they were arrested for.

A bail bond is a written agreement with a surety or bail bondsman signed by the defendant, assuring that the defendant will appear in court for the said hearings. If the defendant fails to do so, the bond can be cancelled and he will be taken into custody.

Bail agents charge a percentage of the bail amount for their services. Before the accused are released, relatives or friends of the accused contact bail agents to make arrangements for the bail. The co-signers will have to assure the court before posting bail bonds that they will pay the full bail amount, if the defendants do not appear for the court date.

After the bail has been posted, should the defendants not honor the agreements and fail to appear in courts, the co-signers are wholly responsible to pay the full bail amount. If the defendants have to be sought and arrested by bail agents, the co-signers are responsible for all expenditures the bail agents incur while searching the defendants.

There are some companies which provide bail bond services online. The defendants who need bail bonds can contact these companies and fill out all the paperwork online. Sometimes this is easier than going to the bondsman?s offices, and it can be faster, as well.

After underwritings and approvals are completed, payments can be made by credit cards or money transfers. To use credit cards for bail bonds, credit card assist vouchers must be completed, signed, and faxed to their offices. These companies always keep all information confidential. After all the paperwork has been signed and funds are verified, the bail agents post the bonds at appropriate locations. []Bail Bonds provides detailed information on Bail Bond Agents, Bail Bond Companies , Bail Bond License, Bail Bond Schools and more. Bail Bonds is affiliated with Law Enforcement Training.

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What is a Bail Bondsman?

By Chad R Fisher

A bail bondsman or a bail agent is a company, person, or corporation that will pledge money to allow someone to be allowed on bail from charges that would cause them to be put into imprisonment. They often cater to criminal defendants and can often secure the release in as little as a few hours. They often have ties within the court house, and this combined with the capitol to have the individual released can create a successful bond.

The usual fee for bond agents to charge is ten percent of the bail that is required to pay for the bond and for the individual to be released. This fee is not refundable and

This ten percent fee has become popularized and available to be paid to have the individual released from custody. In the case that the entire amount is required bail bondsman usually have a standing arrangement with banks or creditors to have access to the funds during times when the banks are not open. This is crucial, because being a bail bondsman is often a twenty four hour position.

Should a bond not be paid or the individual refuse to reappear for the court date the company that has placed the money, the bail bondsman are legally allowed to bring the individual in – and place them in the custody of the courts.

In the case of the bail being a large amount of money bail bondsman are able to gain security of assets rather than the large amount of cash. For example, bail bondsman can secure a home in the matter of a person owing $100,000 for bond money and charge the initial ten percent than taking a mortgage against the home for the owing sum of the bond.

If the individual fails to show up for court it is lawful for the bail bondsman to find the contracted individual. It is important to remember that a contract is a contract, and by hiring a bail bondsman and allowing the company to post bail – you are signing a contract stating that you will show up to court, or they will be legally allowed to forcefully bring you to court.

Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon and Wisconsin are the four states that have banned commercial bail bonding.

A family member of the person in custody is usually the person placing bond for the individual. This individual usually co-signs and is responsible should the person being charged not show up at hearings or leave town for the full amount of the bond. The co-signer is also responsible for expenses that incur while the bondsmen are capturing the individual. This is an expensive process for the co-signer – and it is important to make sure that you trust the individual that you are signing for. Co-signers are most often required to have full time employment and either rent, or own a home in the area.

Bail bondsman companies are often available throughout the day and into the night. It is a twenty-four hour business and local bail bondsman companies can be located in the yellow pages or on the internet in your area. Often times, the court officials will have bail bondsman information on hand should it be required.

One of the newer companies in the area, Tuff Guy Bail Bonds – creates a professional experience and offers the utmost customer service and respectability. They should be considered for your next bond experience.

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Bail Bondsman 101

By Chad R Fisher

A bail bondsman is an individual or a company offering to lend bail money to a family member, or individual that has been charged and will not be released from custody unless there is capitol put up to back that the individual will return for the court date. Bail bondsman often charge five to ten percent for their services, which is payable up front but some companies offer payment and finance plans. Should the individual refuse to show up for a court date than the bail bondsman has the right to apprehend him or her and return them to the court. Should this occur, than the co-signer of the bail bond is most often responsible for the expenses incurred during the process.

There are many bail bondsman companies available in California. A large number of the companies reside in Orange County. Here is a list of the bail bondsman companies in Orange County. Additional information is available on the websites for the company, or contacting the company directly. Jackson bail bonds can recommend the following reputable companies for bail bonds in Orange County.

Finding a bail bondsman in Orange county could be as easy as contacting the local jail, sheriffs office, or the local yellow pages. There is a large assortment of companies offering bail bonds at reduced rates, while offering impeccable customer service. Bail bonds are often able to be completed within hours, and many of the companies offer a twenty four hour service.

There are many new companies emerging as some of the top customer oriented bail bondsman companies. There are new companies that emerge daily, and out of these companies very few are legitimate in the ways that customer service and contracts are practiced. There are many Bail Bond copmanies that offer a competitive rate, the state standard being ten percent.

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An Introduction to Surety Bail Bonds

By Ron Victor

Bail bonds are a type of surety bonds, which are used to guarantee the entire bail amount if the charged party fails to uphold the terms of his or her release. A surety bail bonds man usually pays the court a huge blanket bond to check upon several clients, then charges every client 10% of his or her sum bail amount as a cash guarantee. These cash bonds are measured bail bonds and are usually non-refundable if received through bail bonds men. The chief advantage of client does not have to spend all of his or her time in a horrible cell until the trial date.

Bail bonds could be generally obtained in most areas of the United States 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Bail bondsmen usually remain obtainable on an ‘on call’ source at any time they are away from their offices. The idea of bail bonds for the release of jailed persons is commonly restricted to the United States. Many other countries have other techniques for generating financial or ethical incentives for accused parties to emerge in court. Because a number of people deliberately skip town after redistribution surety bail bonds, there is as well a need for an exclusive occupation known as bounty hunter. Private individuals could be further hired by bail bondsmen to pathway down and go back those clients who fail to emerge in court.

Because bail bonds released by private bail bonding companies could be non-refundable and very costly as well, many court systems have generated an option for accused people and their families. In lieu of the whole bail amount, a 10% cash bond could as well be established by the court directly. This is the same state that generated the want for bail bondsmen in the prime place, but families with the means to generate cash no longer have to go during an intermediary. Basically, bail bondsmen work much like other short-term, high-interest permitting institutions. The refund terms could be brutal. Several states by have banned the practice of bail bonds, and more might pursue in the future. The financial difficulties to the accused and his or her family appear to be more important than the potential benefits of release until trial.

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Bail

By Damian Sofsian

Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court in order to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail (and be guilty of the crime of failure to appear). In most cases bail money will be returned at the end of the trial, if all court appearances are made, no matter whether the person is found guilty or not guilty of the crime accused. In some countries granting bail is common. Even in such countries, however, bail may not be offered by some courts under some circumstances; for instance, if the accused is considered likely not to appear for trial regardless of bail. Countries without bail imprison the suspect before the trial only if deemed necessary.

Legislatures may also set out certain crimes to be unbailable, such as capital crimes.

Under the current law of England and Wales, bail simply refers to the release of the accused before trial.
Contents

Forms of bail

The form of bail varies from jurisdiction, but the common forms of bail include:

* Recognizance — a promise made by the accused to the court that he/she will attend all required judicial proceedings and will not engage in illegal activity or other prohibited conduct as set by the court. Typically a monetary amount is set by the court, but is not paid by the defendant unless the court orders it forfeited; this is denominated an unsecured appearance bond or release on one’s own recognizance.
* Surety — when a third party agrees to be responsible for the debt or obligation of the defendant. In many jurisdictions this service is provided commercially by a bail bondsman, where the agent will receive 10% of the bail amount up front and will keep that amount regardless of whether the defendant appears in court. The court in many jurisdictions, especially jurisdictions that prohibit bail bondsmen, may demand a certain amount of the total bail (typically 10%) be given to the court, which, unlike with bail bondsmen, is returned if the defendant does not violate the conditions of bail. This also known as surety on the bond.
* Conditions of release – many varied non-monetary conditions and restrictions on liberty can be imposed by a court to ensure that a person released into the community will appear in court and not commit any more crimes. Common examples include: mandatory calls to the police, surrendering passports, home detention, electronic monitoring, drug testing, alcohol counseling, surrendering firearms.
* Protective order also called an Order of protection- one very common feature of any conditional release, whether on bail, bond or condition, is a court order requiring the defendant to refrain from criminal activity against the alleged crime victim, or stay away from and have no contact with the alleged crime victim. The former is a limited order, the latter a full order. Violation of the order can subject the defendant to automatic forfeiture of bail and further fine or imprisonment.
* Cash — typically “cash-only,” where the only form of bail that the Court will accept is cash.[1]
* Combinations – courts often allow defendants to post cash bail or bond, and then impose further conditions, as mentioned above, in order to protect the community or ensure attendance.[2]

Bail may be forfeited, and the defendant remanded to jail, for failure to appear when required.

Bail law in England and Wales

History

In mediæval England, the sheriffs originally possessed sovereign authority to release or hold suspected criminals. Some sheriffs would exploit the bail for their own gain. The Statute of Westminster (1275) limited the discretion of sheriffs with respect to the bail. Although sheriffs still had the authority to fix the amount of bail required, the statute stipulates which crimes are bailable and which ones are not.

In the early 17th century, King Charles I ordered noblemen to issue him loans. Those who refused were imprisoned. Five of the prisoners filed a habeas corpus petition arguing that they should not be held indefinitely without trial or bail. In the Petition of Right (1628) the Parliament argued that the King had flouted Magna Carta by imprisoning people without just cause.

The Habeas Corpus Act 1679 states, “A Magistrate shall discharge prisoners from their Imprisonment taking their Recognizance, with one or more Surety or Sureties, in any Sum according to the Magistrate’s discretion, unless it shall appear that the Party is committed for such Matter or offenses for which by law the Prisoner is not bailable.”

The English Bill of Rights (1689) states that “excessive bail hath been required of persons committed in criminal cases, to elude the benefit of the laws made for the liberty of the subjects. Excessive bail ought not to be required.” This was a precursor of the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution.

Forms of Bail

In the UK there are three types of bail:

1. Police Bail where a suspect is released without being charged but must return to the police station at a given time.
2. Police to Court where having been charged a suspect is given bail but must attend his first court hearing at the time and Court given
3. Court bail where having already been in court a suspect is granted bail pending further investigation or while the case continues

Police bail before charge

Under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the police have power to release a person, who has not been charged, on bail. This is deemed to be a release on bail in accordance with sections 3, 3A, 5 and 5A of the Bail Act 1976.[3]

Police bail after charge

After a person has been charged, he must ordinarily be released, on bail or without bail.[4] Unless the accused has a previous conviction (or equivalents in cases of insanity) for certain specified homicide or sexual offences[5], the accused must be released either on bail or without bail unless:[4]

(a) If the person arrested is not an arrested juvenile—cha

(i) his name or address cannot be ascertained or the custody officer has reasonable grounds for doubting whether a name or address furnished by him as his name or address is his real name or address;

(ii) the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the person arrested will fail to appear in court to answer to bail;

(iii) in the case of a person arrested for an imprisonable offence, the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the detention of the person arrested is necessary to prevent him from committing an offence;

(iiia) in the case of a person who has attained the age of 18, the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the detention of the person is necessary to enable a sample to be taken from him under section 63B below]

(iv) in the case of a person arrested for an offence which is not an imprisonable offence, the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the detention of the person arrested is necessary to prevent him from causing physical injury to any other person or from causing loss of or damage to property;

(v) the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the detention of the person arrested is necessary to prevent him from interfering with the administration of justice or with the investigation of offences or of a particular offence; or

(vi) the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that the detention of the person arrested is necessary for his own protection;

(b) if he is an arrested juvenile—

(i) any of the requirements of paragraph (a) above is satisfied; or

(ii) the custody officer has reasonable grounds for believing that he ought to be detained in his own interests.

If he is granted bail it will be bail to appear at a Magistrates’ Court at the next available sitting.[3]

Bail by a court

Right to bail

Under current law, a defendant has an absolute right to bail if the custody time limits have expired and otherwise ordinarily a right to bail unless there is sufficient reason not to grant it[6],

The main reasons for refusing bail are that the defendant is accused of an imprisonable offence and there are substantial grounds for believing that the defendant:

1. will abscond;
2. will commit further offences whilst on bail; or
3. will interfere with witnesses.[6]

The court should take into account:

1. the nature and seriousness of the offence or default (and the probable method of dealing with the defendant for it),
2. the character, antecedents, associations and community ties of the defendant,
3. the defendant’s bail record, and
4. the strength of the evidence.[6]

The court may also refuse bail:

* for the defendant’s own protection;
* where the defendant is already serving a custodial sentence for another offence;
* where the court is satisfied that it has not been practicable to obtain sufficient information;
* where the defendant has already absconded in the present proceedings;
* where the defendant has been convicted but the court is awaiting a pre-sentence report, other report or inquiry and it would be impracticable to complete the inquiries or make the report without keeping the defendant in custody;
* where the defendant is charged with a non-imprisonable offence, has already been released on bail for the offence with which he is now accused, and has been arrested for absconding or breaching bail.[6]

Where the accused has previous convictions for certain homicide or sexual offences, the burden of proof is on the defendant to rebut a presumption against bail.[7]

The Criminal Justice Act 2003 amended the Bail Act 1976 restricting the right to bail for adults who tested positive for a Class A drug and refused to be assessed or refused to participate in recommended treatment[8]

Conditions

Conditions may be applied to the grant of bail, such as living at a particular address or having someone act as surety, if the court considers that this is necessary:

* to prevent the defendant absconding;
* to prevent the defendant committing further offences whilst on bail;
* to prevent the defendant interfering with witnesses; or
* for the defendant’s own protection (or if he is a child or young person, for his own welfare or in his own interests).[6]

Failure to comply with bail

Failing to attend court on time as required is an offence, for which the maximum sentence in a magistrates’ court is three years and twelve months’ imprisonment in the Crown Court. (Sentences are usually much shorter than the maximum, but are often custody.) In addition to imposing punishment for this offence, courts will often revoke bail as they may not trust the defendant again. The amended Consolidated Criminal Practice Direction states (at paragraph 1.13.5) that “the sentence for the breach of bail should usually be custodial and consecutive to any other custodial sentence”.[9]

Failing to comply with bail conditions is not an offence, but may lead to the defendant being arrested and brought back to court, where they will be remanded into custody unless the court is satisfied that they will comply with their conditions in future.

Bail law in the United States

In pre-independence America, bail law was based on English law. Some of the colonies simply guaranteed their subjects the protections of British law. In 1776, after the Declaration of Independence, those which had not already done so enacted their own versions of bail law.

Section 9 of Virginia’s 1776 Constitution states “excessive bail ought not to be required…” In 1785, the following was added, “Those shall be let to bail who are apprehended for any crime not punishable in life or limb…But if a crime be punishable by life or limb, or if it be manslaughter and there be good cause to believe the party guilty thereof, he shall not be admitted to bail.”

Section 29 of the Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776 states that “Excessive bail shall not be exacted for bailable oflences: And all fines shall be moderate.”

The Eighth Amendment in the US Federal Bill of Rights is derived from the Virginia Constitution, “Excessive bail shall not be required…”, in regard to which Samuel Livermore commented, “The clause seems to have no meaning to it, I do not think it necessary. What is meant by the term excessive bail…?” The Supreme Court has never decided whether the constitutional prohibition on excessive bail applies to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Sixth Amendment, to the Constitution, like the English Habeas Corpus Act of 1678, requires that a suspect must “be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation” and thus enabling a suspect to demand bail if accused of a bailable offense.

The Judiciary Act of 1789

In 1789, the same year that the United States Bill of Rights was introduced, Congress passed the Judiciary Act of 1789. This specified which types of crimes were bailable and set bounds on a judge’s discretion in setting bail. The Act states that all non-capital crimes are bailable and that in capital cases the decision to detain a suspect, prior to trial, was to be left to the judge.

The Judiciary Act states, “Upon all arrests in criminal cases, bail shall be admitted, except where punishment may be by death, in which cases it shall not be admitted but by the supreme or a circuit court, or by a justice of the supreme court, or a judge of a district court, who shall exercise their discretion therein.”

The Bail Reform Act of 1966

In 1966, Congress enacted the Bail Reform Act of 1966 which states that a non-capital defendant is to be released, pending trial, on his personal recognizance or on personal bond, unless the judicial officer determines that such incentives will not adequately assure his appearance at trial. In that case, the judge must select an alternative from a list of conditions, such as restrictions on travel. Individuals charged with a capital crime, or who have been convicted and are awaiting sentencing or appeal, are to be released unless the judicial officer has reason to believe that no conditions will reasonably assure that the person will not flee or pose a danger. In non-capital cases, the Act does not permit a judge to consider a suspect’s danger to the community, only in capital cases or after conviction is the judge authorized to do so.

The 1966 Act was particularly criticized within the District of Columbia, where all crimes formerly fell under Federal bail law. In a number of instances, persons accused of violent crimes committed additional crimes when released on their personal recognizance. These individuals were often released yet again.

The Judicial Council committee recommended that, even in non-capital cases, a person’s dangerousness should be considered in determining conditions for release. The District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970 allowed judges to consider dangerousness and risk of flight when setting bail in noncapital cases.

Current U.S. bail law

In 1984 Congress replaced the Bail Reform Act of 1966 with new bail law, codified at United States Code, Title 18, Sections 3141-3150. The main innovation of the new law is that it allows pre-trial detention of individuals based upon their danger to the community; under prior law and traditional bail statutes in the U.S., pre-trial detention was to be based solely upon the risk of flight.

18 USC 3142(f) provides that only persons who fit into certain categories are subject to detention without bail: persons charged with a crime of violence, an offense for which the maximum sentence is life imprisonment or death, certain drug offenses for which the maximum offense is greater than 10 years, repeat felony offenders, or if the defendant poses a serious risk of flight, obstruction of justice, or witness tampering. There is a special hearing held to determine whether the defendant fits within these categories; anyone not within them must be admitted to bail.

State bail laws

Bail laws vary somewhat from state to state, as is typical of U.S. jurisprudence. Generally, a person charged with a non-capital crime is presumptively entitled to be granted bail. Recently, some states have enacted statutes modelled on federal law which permit pretrial detention of persons charged with serious violent offenses, if it can be demonstrated that the defendant is a flight risk or a danger to the community.

Some states have very strict guidelines for judges to follow, with a published bail schedule.[10] Some states go so far as to require certain forfeitures, bail, and fines for certain crimes.[11]

Courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bail

The Bail Bondsman Coming To The Rescue

By Mike Selvon

Prisons and jails will always be needed until humanity reaches the point where no crimes are committed. Prepare yourself for disappointment, because that is not going to be anytime in the near future. People are arrested for everything from domestic disputes to violent crimes.

The bail bondsman is there to help those people get out of jail and have the opportunity to continue to lead their lives while awaiting trial. Once you know the process of using a bail bond agency or bail bond agents, you will be one step closer to freedom.

If you do find yourself on the wrong end of the law’s long arm, then it is good to know what is going to happen. The very first thing, as you might have guessed, is that you are going to be arrested and booked on whatever crime has allegedly occurred.

Just remember that you are innocent until proven guilty. The second step is a judge setting the bail bond. A bail bond is how much money it will take in order for you to get out of jail until the hearing.

Once the bail bond is set you have two options. Option A is to pay the entire bond out of pocket. The great thing about this option is that you will pay no fees and once you show up in court you will get your money back.

Option B is that you contact a county bail bond agent who will pay the bond, or rather guarantee the bond for you. You will have to pay a 10% fee of the total bond amount. The downside to this option is that the fee is non-refundable.

Next on the agenda involves being released with the bail bondsman. It is very important to remember that someone else has taken on the responsibility of your release from jail. You must show up to court or you will find yourself hunted down by a bail enforcement agent, otherwise known as a bounty hunter. That is one situation you want to avoid.

Once you have shown up to court, you will either have a trial or you will have to pay a fine, which will be determined by a jury or a judge, respectively. Best case scenario is that this never happens because you stayed on the straight and narrow path and obeyed the law. If you do find yourself in a sticky situation, then a bail bondsman is going to be your best friend for quite awhile or at least until you show up in court.

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Disadvantages Of Bail Bonds Services

By Mike Selvon

The catch about bail bond agents is that you really do not pay much attention to them until you find yourself in a predicament with the law. There is a website where you can gain some knowledge of legal terms and perhaps find a bail agent who can help you get back on your feet again after being arrested.

“Bail Bonds services” is a website devoted to the bail bond world and even has postings of fugitives. It may be worth a minute or two of your time to take a look around, just in case you find yourself behind bars.

Let us say, hypothetically of course, that you or a family member has been arrested and a judge has set a $20,000 bond that must be paid before release from jail can occur. Whoa, that is a lot of money and very few people can afford to put that much up in cash to get a loved one out of jail. That is where the bail agency steps in and helps you out.

They come up with the money or guarantee to get the person out of jail. This is not a free, “get out of jail” card. Usually the fee is ten percent and it is non-refundable.

Had you coughed up the full 20 grand, it would have been returned to you after the defendant showed up in court but as mentioned earlier, few people can come up with that kind of cash at a moments notice. The bail agency can be your friend or your worst enemy should the friend or family skip out on the bond.

“Bail Bonds services” is not a bail bond agency. They provide you with bail information for your area. There are links on the webpage to the right that can let you be an affiliate member or give you the latest bond skippers who have cash rewards on their heads.

You should be aware that they are not a referral service and nothing they offer is guaranteed. The best part of the website is the glossary of terms that can help you understand the legal system.

“Bail Bonds services” also provides listings of criminal attorneys in your area. However, not all states are covered and most certainly not all areas are covered.

Smaller towns will be forgotten as some bond agents will not be using the service if they charge a fee for listing. You absolutely must remember that they are not a referral agency and they are not responsible for helping you bail out your friend or loved one.

Visit Mike Selvon portal to learn more about http://bailbonds.niche-educator.com/Bail-Bonds-Com.php]bail bonds com Your feedback is much appreciated at our [http://www.mynicheportal.com/legal/bail-bonds-com-pitfalls]bail bond services blog where a free gift awaits you.

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Criminal Bail Bonds

By Damian Sofsian

Criminal bail bonds are necessary for people who have been accused of a crime to get out of jail while awaiting court dates and/or trials. Once people are charged with crimes, they are entitled to apply for bail while the court case is being processed. There are companies that specifically deal in the processing and approval of bail bonds.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) is considered a crime. Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is similar to a DUI, and is also a crime. When arrested for DUI or DWI, it is often very serious. The court proceedings often take months, sometimes even a year or more, so it is common for people involved in these cases to seek and post bail, so as not to spend the time waiting for the court dates in jail, but rather at home.

Criminal bail bond agencies help the accused make bail, which can be very high at times, and friends/family may not have the money for it on hand. Bail bond agencies normally collect particular percentage of the total bail amount (as dictated by law) and assure the court that the defendants will appear to all hearings as and when required.

Bail bond agencies collect 10% of the bail amount as a premium. To have a friend/relative freed from jail, this amount has to be paid instantly. Once the payment is received, the procedures for getting that person released from the jail are arranged.

Criminal bail bonds may sound simple, but in general, they are not. These proceedings take a long time and one has to be very patient. Especially in metropolitan cities, the number of crimes is increasing and so the criminal bail bond businesses aren?t lacking in customers. [http://www.bailbonds-web.com]Bail Bonds provides detailed information on Bail Bond Agents, Bail Bond Companies , Bail Bond License, Bail Bond Schools and more. Bail Bonds is affiliated with [http://www.i-lawenforcement.com]Law Enforcement Training.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian http://EzineArticles.com/?Criminal-Bail-Bonds&id=410090

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