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What is Bail?

If you are charged with a crime you may hear the judge state that “Bail is set at X amount.” Bail is an amount of money that can be placed with a bonding agent to free you from jail while you await trial. If you have been charged with a crime, the U.S. Constitution states that you are innocent until proven guilty, and should be provided the opportunity to remain free from jail until you are found innocent or guilty of the accused crime.

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What is a Bail Bond?

A bail bond is given to an individual who is charged with a crime. The bond is a contract between a licensed bondsman in the state and a person accused of a crime, ensuring that upon payment of the bail amount (surety) and release from incarceration, the accused with appear in court on the indicated date and time scheduled. Some bondsman will allow property to be placed in lieu of cash. The bond can be revoked if all of the provisions of the contract are not met.

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How does it work?

If you are arrested and a bond is given on your charge, contacting a bail bondsman and paying the amount listed for the charge will get you out of jail until court. The bondsman will charge a fee for making the bond. Monies paid to a bondsman are non-refundable and a contract guaranteeing appearance on the court date is required. Should you not appear in court on the appearance day, your bail bond is forfeited (with all money lost) and a warrant for your arrest may be made.

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Avoid the Bounty Hunters.

The last thing you want is to have a bounty hunter on the look for you. A Bounty Hunter is a person hired by a bondsman to apprehend an individual who has skipped bail, or failed to show for court. Avoiding the Bounty Hunter isn’t difficult, however. Ensure that you appear in court when you are supposed to, keep in contact with the bondsman and always have open, honest communication with him. These simple ways will ensure the bounty hunter is not chasing you.

Anaheim Bail Bonds

Understanding Bail Bonds

Jail. The word alone is enough to make a person cringe, but for someone who has been arrested and charged with a crime, this four letter word becomes home until bail bond is made or a court appearance is made. As modern day slavery, sitting behind bars is the last thing that you want to do. There is nothing fun or pleasant about it, and sometimes, weeks or months can go by before your day to be heard arrives.

Free Yourself with Bail Bonds

A bail amount is given to you based upon the charge, your previous criminal history and other factors. The bail amount must be paid to the court, in full, in order to get out of jail. Because a bond amount can easily reach the thousands of dollars, one may use a licensed bail bondsman instead. Rather than pay the entire amount of the bond, a licensed bondsman in the state will charge 10% of the bail amount in addition to a bondsman fee.

For example, if you are charged with aggravated assault and given a bail amount of $5,000, the entire $5,000 must be paid, or only $500 (plus the bondsman fee) to a bail bondsman. The use of a bail bondsman makes it easy for more people to get out of jail and enjoy their freedom until a court of law has determined their innocence or guilt.

In some instances one may use owned property as bail if the funds are not available. Property that can be used for the surety bond varies from bondsman to bondsman but may include property and land, boats and cars.

In exchange for this reduction in the bond amount the arrestee must sign a contract that guarantees his appearance in court during the scheduled date and time. If you appear in court as you are supposed to, you have nothing else to worry about. However, should you fail to appear in court and do not contact the bondsman in advance, the bond may be revoked and you can be placed in jail without bond until another appearance can be scheduled.

How to use a Bail Bond Service

Most often it is required that the person accused of a crime have a relative or close friend sign their bond for them. The person signing the bond is also assuring your appearance in court is made. This is a special precaution taken by judges and bondsman in case you fail to appear in court and cannot be located.

Once you have someone available to help you with your bond, finding a bondsman is the next step. There are numerous Anaheim Bail Bonds around, and it is in your best interest to search around to find the bondsman who offers the lowest prices and best services.