Nobody wants to find themselves or someone they care about in jail. Unfortunately, we all make mistakes and sometimes the consequences of our actions could land us in jail. If you do not want to sit in a jail cell until the charges brought against you are resolved, then you can pay a release fee and get out of jail. Depending on a number of things, including the circumstances surrounding the event, that landed you in prison, the price for your release may be high or low. For people who cannot afford to pay the asking price there are bail bonds.
How does it work?
When they determine the price for your release, you are allowed to pay the asking fee and leave prison. If you show up for your court date, you will get your money back. The problem is the asking fee is usually pretty high. A minor offense could have a fee as high as 3,000 dollars, which is a lot of money to pay at once. Luckily, there are bail bonds, which allow you to only pay ten percent of what the actual asking fee. So a 3,000 dollar fee becomes a 300 dollar payment. However, at the dispensation of the charges brought against you or yours, you will not get your money back.
Where can I find a bondsman?
Usually, there are a number of businesses in close proximity to the prisons and jails that will sell you a bond. You will pay ten percent to this business, and then they put up the full amount to secure your release from jail. There may be additional processing fees or charges associated, but the going rate should be around ten percent. If the rate for release is less than ten percent then the business in question is operating illegally, and you are better suited using a company that is following the law.
What are the consequences for not appearing for court?
First, the court will issue a warrant for your immediate arrest, and if you used a bail bonds business, your bondsman will send a bounty hunter to find you. By skipping town the company that paid your release fee cannot get their money back. Instead of making 300 dollars, in the scenario from paragraph two, they lose 2,700 dollars, and you can bet that they will not be happy about this. If you are captured by either the police or a bounty hunter, you can expect to be held without a chance to pay a release fee. If they do give you another chance at a release fee, it will likely be higher than it was previously.
As long as you appear in court, bail bonds are a great way to quickly get out of prison. You won’t get your fee back when you use a business, but at the same time, you won’t have to pay upwards of 3,000 dollars either. If you need to get someone you know out of jail this is your best option.