If you get caught committing a crime and the police took you into custody, then getting out of jail is going to be your topmost priority. After all, who wants to spend even just one night in jail, right? However, getting out of jail is not easy as there are so many things that have to be considered.
What is your crime?
If you were arrested on a Friday night, then you have no other choice but to spend time in jail. This is because the earliest time that you’ll be seeing the judge who’ll set the bail is Monday. However, if the crime you’ve committed is a very common one, then you might be allowed to get out of jail the same day. They’ll make use of a set standard of bail amounts, and once you’ve posted bail for your particular crime, then you can walk out of prison as soon as you’ve settled all the legal documents.
Of note though; if the judge thinks that you’re a high risk, then he may set an excessively high amount of bail. This usually happens if you’ve been caught dealing drugs, if you’ve murdered someone, or if the judge thinks you’ll skip bail.
How much will the bail cost be?
You need not get a bail bonds agent if you have money to pay for the full amount. You only have to pay the full bail amount, and you’ll be released immediately after completing the necessary paperwork.
If you don’t’ have money to pay for the full amount though, then you can avail of the services of a bail bondsman to get you out of prison. Of course, the cost of the bail bond will be higher than what the court set since you’ll be paying the agent his service fee. However, you should know that the standard bail bond price in most states is 10% of the total amount of bail set by the judge. In some cases, you may be eligible for an 8% bail bond price; however, this is a very rare case. You will need to meet very high and very restrictive requirements to be able to avail of this low bail bond price.
Of note though; don’t be fooled by 5% bail bond costs. You’ll find out in the end that the 5% is only a down payment, and that you still have to pay the agent the outstanding 5% in increments or in full on a set date.
What happens if you don’t post bail?
If you choose not to post bail, then you’ll have to spend time in prison awaiting your trial. You’ll stay there until your final arraignment.
What happens if you post bail?
As mentioned earlier, if you choose to post bail, then you’ll be released immediately after posting bail. You can use the days before the court dates preparing for your case and strengthening it.
If you appeared for all your court dates, the bail amount will be returned to you, except for the 10%, of course, which will go to your bail bondsman.
What happens if you skip bail?
Skipping bail should be the last thing on your mind. If you do skip bail, the judge will revoke your bail and issue a warrant for your arrest. People like the police, your bail bondsman, and his bounty hunter will be after you to bring you back to prison.
Citations:
- The photo included in this article is a free image via http://www.sxc.hu/.
Jennifer Dallas is a freelance writer for Bail Bonds Direct Ca. She writes about petty crimes and how you can get out of prison.