When you’re arrested and charged with a crime, there’s typically a long stretch of time before your court appearance—in other words, a long stretch of time before you find out whether you are guilty or innocent in the eyes of the law. Most individuals will understandably want to be at home with their loved ones during this time, rather than spending it in jail. The bail bonds process can make that possible.
But how much do you actually know about how bail bonds work? If you’re new to bail bonds, we’ve got a quick overview for you, assembled by our expert San Bernardino bail agents.
What is Bail?
Let’s start at the beginning. When you’re arrested and charged with a crime, you’ll ultimately see a judge, who will make a decision about bail. Bail is the amount of money you have to pay in order to be released from jail and sent home to be with your family. Most individuals, when accused of a crime, will have this option to pay bail and leave jail—unless theirs was an especially violent crime, or they have a long criminal history or a history of failing to appear in court.
What are Bail Bonds?
The problem with bail is that it can sometimes be unaffordable. If you don’t have the cash on hand to pay the set bail amount, what can you do?
The short answer is to call a San Bernardino bondsman, who will make bail on your behalf—requiring only a small premium from you. (Most of the time, you’ll only have to pay about 10 percent of the total bail amount.)
How Do You Get a Bail Bond?
Getting a bail bond is as simple as reaching out to a local bail bond agent, such as Remedy Bail Bonds. You can make this call, or a loved one can call and arrange the bail bond on your behalf. All you’ll need to do is provide the bail bond company with some basic information, including:
- The name and age of the accused
- The specific jail where he or she is being held
- The charges
- The bail amount
Note that most bail bond companies can be reached 24/7, and the sooner you call them, the better.
What Happens After You Get Your Bail Bond?
Once your bail bond is posted, you’re free to go home and be with your family. However, you must appear to all court dates.
You will be made aware of when and where you need to show up for court. Take this seriously! Failure to show up for court may mean you forfeit your bail premium and also have additional charges brought against you. In other words, your legal problems can really compound.
That’s basically how the process works—but if you have any questions, we’d love to hear them! Reach out to an affordable local bondsman at Remedy Bail Bonds. Remember, we’re available around the clock!
