How Does Bail Bonding Work
Every state has its own bail bond systems, hence the need to have an understanding of the system. Bail bond allow someone who has been charged with a crime the chance to get out of jail and remain free until trial. Even if the bail bonding procedures in your state vary with that of other states, it is important to get to know the system since the main principles are the same in every system. When you know the steps involved in bail bonding, you will be in a position to assist yourself or someone else when charged with a crime to be free from bondage. The following is a guide to understanding bail bonding system.
One of the vital steps involved in bail bonding include learning the basic terms. In order to understand bail bonding procedure, you need to know what a bail is; it refers to a set amount of money that acts as a guarantee that a defendant will appear in court for the next hearing on grounds that they are not kept in police custody. In addition to understanding what a bail is, you need to also know what a bail bond – it refers to the promise made by the defendant or someone who promises to pay for the defendant to the court to forfeit the bail money if the defendant does not return. The following are some of the people who are legally allowed to make a bail bond, these include a professional bail bond agent, a family member or a friend to the defendant.
In addition, it is vital for a defendant to take their time and wait for the jury to set bail. The essence of setting bail is to ensure that the defendant appear at trial without having to be taken to police custody. One of the common feature of bail bonding systems in most states is that the bail amount is set to be significantly high enough so that the defendant will not simply forfeit the bail amount and disappear.
It is worth noting that it is always not a guarantee that a defendant will be released on bail. A judge may not allow a defendant to be released on bail if the defendant is a danger to the society or is a flight risk.
When released on bail, you should report to court on the stipulated date. An arrest warrant will be released by court in the event that a defendant fails to report on court as required. When a defendant fail to appear in court as required, they will be required to explain tot the court why they missed the court date.
The amount of bail that a defendant is supposed to pay depends on the court laws and the magnitude of the crime committed by the defendant and whether the police can release the defendant without requiring bail.