It is something most American’s fear. You get a call in the middle of the night and a loved one has been arrested. They need your help right now. But most law-abiding citizens know very little about the bail process. We created BailBondCosts.com to help people understand what a “bail bond” actually is and how much a bail bond costs across the country. We will answer many of the most common questions people ask when they find themselves in need of help.
What does the term “bail” mean?
When a person is arrested, there is a set amount of time before a trial can be scheduled. During this time, a judge will determine if a “bail” can be set. The bail bond costs are determined by how serious the crime may be, if the person has a criminal record or if the judge suspects that the person will skip town. Websters Dictionary defines bail as “the temporary release of an accused person awaiting trial, sometimes on condition that a sum of money is lodged to guarantee their appearance in court.” Remember that the 8th amendment of the US Consitution gives us all the right to bail and keeps us from excessive bail. This prevents the government from taking prisoners and leaving them incarcerated awaiting a trial.
What if I don’t have enough money for bail?
This is exactly where most American’s find themselves. Most of us do not have access to significant levels of cash that can be withdrawn immediately. This is why Bail Bond companies exist. A bail bond is a guarantee that the accused will show up once the trail is set to court. As you can imagine, most people are happy to offer money but to guarantee that someone will show up can put your own family at risk. This is why we need Bail Bondsmen.
How does the bail bond process work?
The accused typically will offer some sort of collateral or they can pay 10% of the total bail money directly to the Bail Bondsman. The Bail Bondsman then provides the court a surety bond that gives the court the full amount of bail money that they require. At this point, the accused is released from jail and the Bail Bondsman takes the full liability. They are now responsible for the entire amount of bail money if the accused does not show up in court.
Here is an example….
You get a call in the middle of the night that your son was arrested and the court set his bail at $10,000. You can choose to run down to the bank and withdraw $10,000 to secure his release while he awaits trial. Or you can find a local bail bond company. They are ready to mobilize 24 hours a day / 7 days a week and are often right across the street from the jail. So instead of having to pay $10,000 cash, the bail bond costs are only 10% which is $1,000. Once paid, your son is released immediately and comes home that night instead of sleeping in jail.