(US Law) Few things in life are more stressful than the prospect of going to jail. Whether it’s all a misunderstanding that will soon be cleared up or you are facing serious charges, you don’t want to wait for court in a jail cell. You would rather be out enjoying what could be your final weeks or months of freedom. Paying a bail bondsman can get you that freedom.
The Process
Bail is posted as a guarantee that you will appear at your court hearing. It is refunded to you if you appear as required by the court. Failure to appear will result in a forfeiture of your bond and a warrant for your immediate arrest. You can post the bail yourself, or you can go through a bondsman.
When you post the bail on your own, you must pay the full amount out of your own pocket. If you choose a bondsman, then you will pay ten percent directly to him or her. The bondsman will cover the other 90 percent. If you appear for court, then the bondsman will receive the full refund of your bail. Your ten percent is considered a payment for their services. If you fail to appear, then the bondsman will lose the full bail amount and come looking for you personally.
Liquidation is Tricky
Courts set the bond based on what you can afford, but they will include your assets like homes and cars. While you may be worth a hundred thousand on paper, you probably don’t have that kind of money sitting in the bank. Posting the bail on your own could require mortgaging the house, selling off assets, and making other tough decisions you’d rather avoid. While you may not want to lose ten grand to a bail bondsman, it’s certainly better than liquidating everything you own and being strapped for cash while you await your trial date.
Keep Your Cash Invested
The courts aren’t going to pay you interest on the bail. Rather than losing the full amount and surrendering your interest earnings on it, you can lose only ten percent and let the rest continue working for you. This is an especially attractive decision if it looks like your court case is going to be tied up in court for a while.
Payment Plans
The courts aren’t going to offer any payment plans for getting out of jail. The bond must be paid in full before you are allowed to walk out the jailhouse door. However, some bond agencies will take payment plans on the ten percent portion.
The greatest benefit of using a bondsman is that you can get out of jail faster. Time is always precious, especially when you’re watching it march past from behind bars. With a bondsman, you don’t have to spend extra time in jail waiting for your family to scrape together the bond. You can be out and enjoying time with your family.
Devin Block blogs about options for those in jail, including taking advantage of a bail bondsman’s services. If you or a family member are trying to pay bail, you might want to look through this phoenix bail bonds directory.
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