Answering A Few Common Questions About Bail
Being involved in the criminal justice system can be among the more unpleasant and serious problems that a person can experience. Sadly, it is fairly common for individuals to lack an awareness of what to expect from these proceedings. More precisely, it is common for first-time criminal defendants to be unsure of the bail process. To this end, you might want to learn the answers to a few basic questions so that you will be better informed about this aspect of the criminal justice system.
What Is The Process For Setting The Bail Amount?
Many individuals may assume that their bail will be set shortly after they arrive at the jail. While this may occasionally be the case, it should be noted that a judge will be required to issue the bail amount. As a result, you may have to wait until a judge is available to review your case. When reviewing the case, the judge will consider your previous criminal history, the severity of your crime as well as any extenuating circumstances before issuing a bail order.
What If You Do Not Have The Money To Pay The Bail?
Sadly, it is common for bail amounts to be set extremely high, and it is likely that you may not have the cash available to post the bail. Fortunately, bail bonding services are able to help individuals facing this problem. When using these services, you will be required to pay a percentage of the total bail amount as well as place collateral under the control of the bonding service. As long as the defendant is present for all of their court hearings, the collateral will be returned at the end of the trial.
How Will The Court Know You Paid A Bail Bondsman?
Once you pay the bondsman, they will send the appropriate paperwork to the local jail. Sadly, the jails are often very slow at processing bail postings. When this is the case, it may take several hours before the jail recognizes that the bail has been posted. Once the bail bond has been entered into the system, the defendant will start the process of being released, which will entail having their possessions returned, completing paperwork and potentially undergoing a medical evaluation. Depending on the rules of your local court system, it might be necessary to have the bond reissued if the criminal trial will take an extended amount of time. If this is the case, you will need to repay the bonding fee or else the bail posting will expire.