Answering A Couple Of Questions About Bail
Posted on: 9 August 2016
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Being held in jail can be one of the least pleasant experiences of your life. When you have been arrested and is in jail awaiting a court hearing, it is important to have a thorough understanding about the process of posting bail. However, there are many people that do not have the experience to understand this process. For these individuals, having the following couple of questions concerning bail answered may prove to be enlightening.
What If Your Bail Is Set Too High For You To Pay?
The amount of your bail is determined by a judge that will apply a fairly standardized formula to your case. Unfortunately, there can be instances where the bail amount is far too high for you to be able to pay. In these instances, you can utilize the services of a bail bondsman. This professional will post your bail for you in exchange for a small fee.
Sadly, there may be cases where the bail is set high enough to make the bail bonding fee unpayable. Fortunately, you have the option of petitioning the court to lower your bail. This can be done by proving that you have suffered financial hardships that make the current bail amount impossible to pay and that you are not violent or a risk of fleeing.
Will The Money You Pay The Bondsman Be Returned?
In order to utilize a bail bonding service, you will need to pay them a fee and post collateral. The fee is usually determined as a fixed percentage of the actual bail with a nominal service charge. By paying these expenses, the bail bondsman will contact the jail and file the appropriate paperwork with them. As long as the defendant makes their appearances in court, the collateral will be returned. However, the fees that you pay out of pocket will be kept by the bondsman.
Having to post bail is something that most people will never want to be forced to do. However, it can be an invaluable aspect of the legal system. For those that have a limited understanding about these services, it is important to understand that it is possible to petition the court to reduce the initial bail amount as well as the fact that your collateral will be returned but the service fee will be kept by the bondsman. Understanding these aspects of posting bail will help you to be far better prepared when it comes to this process.