Monday, July 9, 2018

Getting Surety Bonds To Get Out Of Jail

By Carolyn Stevens


When you have been arrested and taken to jail, your first thought may center on how to get out of jail quickly. You do not want to sit in a cell for a minute longer than necessary. You want to return home to your friends and relatives. However, when you lack cash and credit, you might not have the money to satisfy your bail amount. You could instead secure your release until your court date by applying for and securing surety bonds.

The bond required to get you out of jail is usually around 10 percent of your bail amount. You will need to pay this amount in cash before the jail can release you and allow you to go home. Getting a bond is itself a legal arrangement that you must abide by carefully if you want to avoid being arrested. The company that puts up the money for you will require you to sign a legally binding contract first.

The foremost responsibility you have as a client involves appearing at all of your scheduled court dates. These dates can include the initial arraignment where you will be charged with whatever crime for which you have been arrested. It can also include the actual court date or trial during which your fate will be determined either by a judge or jury.

Failing to show up or simply leaving town while you are out on bond is a crime in and of itself. It is an offense that the courts call jumping bail. It is a felony and can result in you having an arrest warrant put out for you. The bail bondsman and any law enforcement officer can arrest you and take you back to jail for skipping out on your bond.

As long as you obey the terms of your contract, you can benefit from this arrangement. You typically will have the right to call for a bondsman immediately after you have been booked and processed into the jail. If you retain an attorney to represent you, you could even have your attorney make the phone call for you.

The cash may not be fronted without some type of collateral, however. Larger bond amounts typically need to be secured either with a house or car. You can also secure it with your earnings by agreeing to have a levy attached to them if you do not make your payments on time or if you skip out on bail. The assets will be liquidated or levied to pay the fronted cash amount.

Once your fate has been determined in court, you can then pay off your bond amount in monthly payments. If you are jailed, your relatives or friends may have to settle the account for you. You also could liquidate the asset that you used for collateral to secure the money.

Paying the full bail amount can be too costly for many people. When you find yourself in this situation, you could instead raise the cash the same day by applying for and getting a bond. This amount typically will equal 10 percent of the bail amount and be used to secure your freedom from jail.




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