You are probably familiar with the idea of a bail bond, but unless you’ve used one in the past, you may not be completely familiar with what they do. A bail bond is a promise to the court that you will show up to your court date. If you do not appear before the court, the court will forfeit the bond, issue a warrant for your arrest, and the bail bond provider will likely join in the effort to place you in custody in order to recover their bond. Let us consider the specific details:
- First, the bail bond company you choose will need the name and booking number of the incarcerated individual. Often if it isn’t available to you, the bail bond company can assist in tracking it down.
- Second,you will need to provide the bail company with where the individual is being held. Specifically, they will need to know which county and city the jail is in in order to communicate with the imprisoned individual.
- Third, bail bonds vary in cost. Some bail bonds can range from $1,000 or all the way up to several million dollars, to no bail. It depends on the crime and it depends on the bail schedule. Every county’s superior court has a bail schedule, which outlines the different bail prices that correlate to the crimes committed. The bail company will need some collateral to ensure payment of the bond, of course.
- Fourth, keep in mind that bail bonds are totally optional. The bail bond is not a case dismissal. The individual under arrest will still have to appear in court. The bail bond is simply a means for that individual to leave the jail cell and spend time with family and friends before his or her trial. It is not a get out of jail free card. It is expensive and you still must stand trial. If the individual is unable to pay the bond fee, then they will have to spend their time waiting for trial in a jail cell.
- Fifth, many bail companies move at different speeds. It is important to pick a reputable bail company, but at the same time speed is important. In our experience, our clients have advised that smaller, family owned companies will provide the faster release times, but the bigger companies might have some additional benefits as well. So, choose well!
This can be an extremely stressful time in anyone’s life and having a bail bond can offer some peace of mind while waiting for trial. If you need assistance with your trial or have a loved one who is, we would be more than happy to work with you in your defense. Call us at (209) 900-8200 or fill out our web form here. Hope this article was helpful please reach out to us if you have any questions.