Being arrested and taken to jail is not a pleasant thing, and it's perfectly understandable that you might be willing to pay anything asked of you to get out of jail as quickly as possible. However, that doesn't mean that you're going to be able to pay the original bail amount that's set for you. A study of the bail data in 75 U.S. counties found that the average bail set for felonies was $55,400. Misdemeanor bail data is harder to come by, but in New York City, the majority of misdemeanor bail amounts offered were above $500 and under $1000. Coming up with anything between $500 and $55,400 can be tough to do on short notice, no matter how badly you want out. Take a look at some ways you can reduce the cost of bail if you're ever arrested.
Contact a Bail Bondsman
Contacting a bail bondsman is the most obvious choice. Thanks to television and movie portrayals, most people are familiar with the concept of a bail bonds service, if not the actual process involved in using a bail bondsman.
The way that a bail bondsman service typically works is that you pay the bail bondsman a percentage of the bail that you owe, and the bondsman posts your bail so that you can get out of jail. For example, if your bail is $1000 and the bondsman requires 10%, you'll pay $100 for the bondsman to post the full $1000. When you appear in court for trial, the court refunds the $1000 to the bail bondsman, and the bondsman also gets to keep your $100 in exchange for their services. Different bail bonds services charge different fees, and the percentage may also vary based on your charge and the actual amount of your bond.
You or the person posting your bail may be required to give the bail bonds company some collateral – something that the bail bondsman can collect to recoup their losses if you fail to appear in court. This could be a house, a car, or anything else of value. For a smaller bail amount, your signature or the signature of a friend or family member guaranteeing your appearance in court may be enough.
Wait For an Arraignment
Another option is to wait for your arraignment. The arraignment is your first hearing before a judge. At this hearing, your attorney can ask for a lower bail amount.
There are two good reasons to wait for an arraignment rather than calling the bail bondsman right away. The first is that your bail could be lowered to an amount that you could pay without the help of the bail bondsman. If you pay the full amount of your bail yourself, the money will be returned to you after your trial, and you won't lose it to the bail bonds company. This is important to consider, because lawyer's fees and court costs are expenses that you'll have to figure out how to pay. Even if your bail isn't reduced enough for you to pay it yourself, any reduction in bail means less that you'll have to pay to the bail bonds service.
The other reason to wait is that it's possible that your charges could be dropped – or never even filed – before you ever get to court, in which case, you won't need bail at all. Many people mistakenly believe that charges are filed immediately upon arrest, but this is not always the case. Often, police are still investigating when a suspect is arrested, and they may or may not end up with enough evidence for the District Attorney to file charges. In most states you can be held for up to 72 hours before charges are filed. Some states, like California, limit the time to 48 hours. If you haven't been charged within this time period, you must be released. Therefore, it may be worth waiting to find out for sure if you're going to be charged before making bail arrangements.
It's difficult to assist in your own defense from a jail cell, so finding a way to afford to be released on bail is important. A bail bondsman is usually your best chance at affordable bail. However, you can contact a bail bondsman at any time before your trial, so you have nothing to lose – and can possibly save money – by waiting until after your arraignment to arrange bail.
For more information about bail bonds in your area, visit sites like http://www.allstarbailbondslv.com.
Share14 September 2015
One thing I have always been good with is money. Even in high school, I always had a savings from my allowance and from working for the neighbors. I created this blog to help other young people understand the importance of financial responsibility even at a young age. If we start our adult lives knowing about financial responsibility, we can make it further in our lives before we suffer from the devastation of financial mistakes that can take years and years to pay back. Hopefully, what you learn here will help you avoid those financial mistakes and maybe help you recover from the ones you've already made.