Bail Bonds Can Set You Free Before Your Day in Court
Bail is a type of insurance policy a court of law will accept in exchange for an accused’s temporary release prior to a hearing. Bail paid or posted will be returned at the end of the trial, as long as the defendant shows up on his or her set court dates.
Also, this insurance allows the accused to avoid jail time until a verdict on the case is laid down. Bail amount is often determined by the court upon reviewing the accused’s case.
For centuries, bail has been helpful in many criminal proceedings. It helps ensure the proper conduct of hearings, reduce the number of absconding debtors, and lessen damage on the accused by offering interim release. However, in many cases, defendants find it difficult to raise the required bail amount, especially within a short time frame. This is where the services of bail bond agents come in very handy.
Euless, TX bail bonds companies like Just Bail Bonds provide payment for bail in the form of surety bond. An article in HowStuffWorks describes surety bond as follows:
Also called a bail bond, a surety bond can be used for any amount of bail, but it is especially useful when the accused can’t afford to pay his or her bail.
This type of bond is covered by an insurance company, which guarantees payment to the court in the event the defendant fails to show up on his or her hearings. The defendant, or someone he or she knows, can get in touch with a bondsman to facilitate bail payment.
If the accused does not have the resources for a cash or surety bond payment, a bondsman can guide him or her through property bond, which, in effect, means the defendant pays for bail through a property of value. A defendant who chooses this option essentially gives the court a lien on the property, and the right to foreclose it if the defendant jumps bail.
Property is also often involved in a surety bond arrangement with Euless, TX bail bonds providers, as the agent may require one as collateral. This gives the agent better assurance that the defendant will show up on his or her court proceedings.
In certain cases, a defendant may be released without having to pay bail, either under a “on citation” arrangement, or on his or her “own cognizance”. These options apply only to least serious cases where the defendant is not deemed to be a flight risk, or a danger to others and him/herself.
(Source: How Bail Works, HowStuffWorks.com)