Important Information To Help You Get Out Of Jail On An Appearance Bond
If you have been arrested, your first concern is likely to be getting out of jail as quickly as you can. Unless you have been accused of a very minor crime or you have a substantial amount of money at your disposal that you do not need back for a significant period of time, your best option for a quick release will be working with a bail bond company. Therefore, you will want to be aware of the facts listed below.
You Will Only Be Paying A Small Amount Of The Bond Set By The Judge
When the judge first tells you how much money the court expects from you in order to allow you to be released, the amount of your appearance bond can seem staggering. Fortunately, you will usually only be responsible for 10-15% of that cost to your bail bondsman and he or she will sign for the full amount of your bond. Because they are doing so, it only makes sense that you will need to stay in regular contact with the bonds company and let them know immediately if any of your personal or professional information changes.
Failure to do so can quickly result in the bondsman no longer wanting to take responsibility for your bond. That will land you back in jail quickly and it will typically be much more difficult to find a bondsman who is willing to work with you in the future.
If You Do Not Have A Lot Of Cash Right Now, You May Still Have Options
Although paying 10-15% of your bond is obviously easier than paying the entirety, a $10,000 bond still means you need to come up with at least a thousand dollars. Fortunately, you may be able to set up payment arrangements with the bonds company to pay a portion of your fees over a few weeks. Alternatively, you might be able to offer valuable collateral to offset some of your cost to the bondsman, like car titles, the deed to your home, etc.
A third option is asking a friend or family member to help you pay the money on your behalf, co-sign for you, or both. If someone co-signs for you, he or she is agreeing to make sure that you will appear in court as required. Another fact to remember is that it is not unusual to be able to have multiple people paying smaller amounts to the bonds company, so you can still get released if money is a concern.
If there are many people paying a few dollars each, you can ask one person to bring the cash in when they have accumulated enough. It is also a good idea to remember that you can combine several of these ideas in order to facilitate your release.
In conclusion, bail bonds and appearance bonds are popular and convenient ways to get out of jail as soon as possible after you have been arrested. However, prior to making arrangements with a bail bondsman to do so, it will be worth your time to have a clear understanding of the information provided above.