Being arrested for a crime is the first event in what’s often a lengthy legal process. One of the priorities you’ll have in this case is getting out of jail while your case is pending. This often involves the court setting a bail, which is a monetary amount that you have to provide to the court as an assurance that you’ll appear at your hearings.
Sometimes, the court will allow a person to get out of jail on their own recognizance, which means there isn’t any monetary assurance necessary. In the absence of that, this information about bail is critically important.
2 primary forms of bail
In some cases, the court will allow you to post either assets, such as a home, or money for bail. There are times when the court may set the bail as “cash only,” which means that you can’t provide assets to be released from jail. Typically, if you show up for all your hearings, the cash or assets you put to secure your release will be given back to you upon the conclusion of your case.
Alternative to bail
Not everyone can afford to post bail. If that’s the situation with you, it may be possible to work with a bail bondsman. In lieu of having to come up with the full bail amount, you’ll be able to give the bondsman a preset amount, usually 10%, and a fee. The bondsman then writes a bond to the court with a promise that you’ll appear at your hearings. If you don’t, they have to cover the entire bail amount. You don’t get the money back that you put up if you work with a bondsman.
While some bail amounts are preset, other cases may require a court hearing. It’s a good idea to have someone on your side who can assist with this hearing, as well as other aspects of the case.