Key Definitions When Talking About Bail Bonds
While many people know some basics about bail and bail bonds, not many know specifics until they are required to interact with the court system and bail bondsmen. This can lead to a scramble for information and can lead to forming ties to malicious actors purporting to help. To get the best experience possible, it is important to know how bail bonds differ from bail and how the right bail bondsman can be your best friend through the process.
How Do Bail Bonds Differ From Bail?
Bail is the amount you must pay to keep yourself or a loved one out of jail between arrest and trial, it is used to help guarantee that court appearances are kept. This amount may be too much to pay at once and so the judge may allow a bail bondsman to step in with a bail bond. This process means that the bondsman is liable for the full bail amount if the court date is not kept, but you only pay a portion, usually ten percent, to the bondsman. To find a list of bondsmen able to help, you will want to search for bail bonds near me Allentown PA companies and read up on the reputations of each one.
What Is a Bail Bondsman?
A bail bondsman is much the same as a bounty hunter in the modern US justice system and most states require that they take licensing courses before working with the court. Your bondsman can be your best friend when you are arrested because he or she can help get you out of jail, let your family know where you are and how much the bail or bond will be and help you remember when your court dates are.
How Is Bail Determined?
A judge determines the bail amount during a hearing which takes place as soon as possible after an arrest. The amount is usually dependent on the type of crime the accused was arrested for and how much of a flight risk the judge deems him or her to be. This can be more than the average citizen can afford to post, and it is up to the judge whether a bond can be used.
When you or a loved one is arrested for a crime, a bail bondsman can be your best friend. This licensed professional can keep you in the loop about how much bail is, whether it can be bonded and even where a loved one is being held. A bail bond is a percentage of the total bail amount which is paid to the bondsman by the arrested individual or their loved ones to get out of jail between arrest and court appearances.
