Going through the bail bonds process is a scary and overwhelming process. The legal system is confusing, and the bail bond process can be even more befuddling. Here in america, every state can have varying laws which can affect the bail bonds process regarding rules and regulations of your local court. If you or a loved one has been arrested and are needing bail bonds help or processing guidance, call ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245. We can help you through the bail bonds process in Austin, TX.
To make it easier, we have made a little FAQ page of the most asked questions by people who are wondering how the bail bonds process works. Here are the bail bonds rules and regulations.
How Does a Bail Bond Work?
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When someone gets arrested, they have to appear before a judge in a court to make an agreement. The agreement states that the defendant can be released from jail and have their bail money refunded to them if they agree to show up to all of their scheduled court dates, even if they are convicted. If the defendant misses one court date, they immediately lose the chance to get refunded their bail and a warrant is issued for their arrest. Since bail is usually set for thousands of dollars, defendants or their families often have trouble procuring that large amount of money quickly. This is where a bail bondsman comes in.
Bail bonds work similar to loans. A bail bondsman won’t just willingly pay a stranger’s $10,000 bail for nothing in return. The family pays what they can of the bail and the bail bondsman covers the rest. Since the bail bondsman is taking all the financial risk, families often have to put up collateral in case they fail to show up to court. Collateral can be items of high value like cars, house deeds, jewelry, or credit cards. Bail bond agencies will also periodically check in with you, like reminding you of your court date or making sure you haven’t left town. If you have, a warrant is issued for your arrest and the bail bondsman can hire a bounty hunter to track you and return you to custody to ensure their payment.
Can You Post Your Own Bail?
You can pay your own bail if you can prove that you are financially able to be the only cosigner. Since bail is typically cash bail, the arrested person must have that full amount of bail money on them at the time of the arrest which is typically not the case. This is where people turn to a bondsman or ask for a cosigner.
Can a Bail Bond Be Revoked?
Bail bond is ever rarely fully revoked, but there are instances when it can be. If you have been previously arrested before and have “jumped bail,” which means to skip showing up to court in order to receive your bail refund, you can get your next bail opportunity revoked should you ever get arrested again.
How is the Amount of Bail Set?
The amount of bail is set by a judge. The judge will determine the price based on various factors. These include the seriousness of the crime, past criminal offenses, if the defendant is employed, and whether there is a chance the defendant might not show up in court to pay the bond, which is known as a “flight risk.”
Do You Have to Pay Bail Bondsman If Charges Are Dropped?
Even if the charges are later dropped after you have been bailed out of jail, you still owe the bail bondsmen 10% of your original bail bond price for their services. They had to use their own money and man hours to bail you out of jail, so they need to be paid for their services. The rest of the money is refunded back to you.
How Long Does the Bail Process Take?
As soon as the bond has been posted, a defendant can be released in around 6 to 8 hours. They cannot be released right away if you have the money ready to bail them out because the jail has to go through the court and paperwork filing process before they can be released. Until the defendant is done with the booking process and has been entered into the county jail system, they cannot be released.
Can a Bail Bond Be Transferred?
If you have been arrested in another state, you will need to find a bail bond company that does transfer bonds. Similar to a cash or surety bond where someone bails you out by signing paperwork on your behalf, a transfer bond will be signed by family of yours in your home state and the bond will be transferred to the jail in the state you were arrested. This means that your family will have to agree to co-signing a bail bond.
What Are the Types of Bail Bonds?
There are so many different types of bail bonds available. If you need help picking the best bail bond for you, call ATX Bail Bonds at 512.834.2245 for assistance in the bail bonds process in Austin, TX today.
- Cash bond
- Transfer bond
- Surety bond
- Immigration bond
- Property bond