There are important reasons why bail bond systems are in place, mainly to ensure that those who are accused of committing a crime will actually attend their court hearing. At this hearing, it will be determined whether they are guilty or innocent, and a sentence will be passed down to them, if found guilty. Sentences can be anything from time in jail, probation, community service, a fine, or all of the above. The type of crime that was committed and the criminal history of the defendant will determine what the sentence will be. The bail bonds process will involve the defendant and family before that, however, and it is important to understand how it works so that they can be properly prepared for what will happen next, and how to handle the entire situation.
Understanding The Bail Bonds Process
The entire process starts when somebody is arrested, at which point they will be taken to jail. A bail agency near the jail will then be contacted by the arrested individual's family, friend, or lawyer, so that assistance can be provided. Once the agent has been notified, they will start to gather all the necessary information in order to determine whether or not they are happy to post bail for that individual. Some of the details they will require to determine this include the defendant's employment status, the charges they are facing, how they can be contacted, what their criminal history is, and so on.
Assuming the bail bondsman accepts the case, they will review a number of documents together with the defendant's representative. First, there is the Bail Indemnity Agreement, followed by the Bail Bond Application Form, and, finally, a proof of purchase.
Those who have been arrested can also try to bail themselves out. To do this, a bondsman will be sent to the jail to actually interview the individual. From there on, however, the bail bonds process is exactly the same. In fact, a lot of bondsmen have offices or representatives permanently located in the jail.
After all the information has been collected and all the signatures are in the right places, the defendant will be released within a few hours. The bondsman 'posts' the bail at the jail, which takes just a few minutes although some jails likely to drag it out a little bit. The defendant is then released and will have to meet the conditions in terms of where he or she can and can't go. Once the defendant is informed about the court date, he or she will be expected to show up. If not, a bounty hunter will be sent out and a new arrest warrant will also be released. This means that the entire process will start again, but it will be far more difficult to find a bondsman willing to post bail.
If you are currently going through this process, it is important that you speak with an experienced professional. For you, it will be a difficult time and you will be under a lot of stress. Having someone working on your side is very important.