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An Essential Guide to Bail Bonds

An Essential Guide to Bail Bonds

An Essential Guide to Bail Bonds

Court appearances can cause a high level of stress for individuals involved and their families. In addition to the trauma of being arrested, an unexpected sum of money is required for a defendant to avoid jail time while awaiting a court appearance. Bail bonds can alleviate some of the stress involved with this process. Bail bonds secure a defendant's freedom between their court appearances by securing bail money to keep them from having to pay a full bail. The bail bonds option is essential for keeping you from paying a bond with your own money and helping keep a loved one out of jail when they don't have to be there. Our experts offer you the following guide on bail bonds in Orlando.

What are bail bonds?

When suspects are held in custody awaiting their hearing, they may be offered a release upon paying a sum of money to the court. This occurs after a person's arrest and before their court date. As long as they appear in court, this money is released back into the hands of whoever paid it. This fee, which varies according to state, is called bail. A bail bond agency is a business that provides money to ensure that the accused will appear in court for their court date. While banks and other loan institutions do not provide bail money, bail bond agencies take the responsibility and risk to help an accused stay out of jail. In addition, the family or friends of the accused will generally work with a bail bond agent to secure their release quickly after their bail has been set.

Quick facts

 Bail Bonds are not a common global practice. The Philippines and the United States are generally the only places to find this program. Washington DC, Wisconsin, Oregon, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Maine, Kentucky, and Illinois are the only states in America where you cannot use Bail Bonds. A value amount is set and determined by the court in your state. Many states have set lists from which a judge works for determining the correct amount of bail for the type of crime committed. Other states allow judges to set bail according to a defendant's flight risk and other factors.

Who can use bail?

Any individual charged with a non-capital crime is usually entitled to bail. However, there are different laws in various states that keep people accused of violent crimes in custody until their hearing if they are considered a continual danger to the public or a flight risk. For anyone else charged with a crime, bail should not be denied, and it's simply the amount of money required that varies.

How bail bonds work

 Upon arrest, a defendant is provided a set amount for bail and a hearing date. After this, it is up to them, their family, and friends to pay to secure their release between arrest and court dates. A bail bondsman is a third party that can help during this time. Once they post bond, they must ensure that the accused appears for all court dates. If the defendant skips bail bondsman will turn to a bounty hunter and search for the defendant to bring them back to court. There is generally a grace period where they can return to court so that bail can be released back to a bondsman.

A bounty hunter will locate and return the defendant to court within the given grace period. If the defendant skips bail and isn't returned, the money provided by the bail bonds agency will be kept by the courts. In this case, the collateral used as security for the bail bond will be taken by the bond agency from the family or friend speaking for the accused. That makes it essential for a defendant to appear in court.

Different bond types

 Cash Bond- This is the simplest type of bond payment where the defendant pays a bill in full to the court with cash. Some counties allow these payments by credit card or check.

Surety bond- This bond is paid by a bail bondsman who pays the bond for the accused.

Property bond- This bond allows someone to use their property in place of cash, and the property can be seized if the defendant fails to appear.

Citation release- This is a written notice provided by an arresting officer allowing the accused to go home after their arrest requiring that they appear in court. These are usually for minor crimes.

Personal recognizance release- If the defendant is not a danger to the community, this release may be granted and generally applies to people accused of minor crimes to avoid the need for bail bonds in Orlando.