subject: Basic Information About Posting Bail [print this page] When a person is arrested for a certain crime filed against him or her, it is only natural for that person to be scared and confused. No one wants to be imprisoned or even deal with the criminal justice system. It is very fortunate that each state has a law that ensures upholding the rights of all citizens including the suspects of a criminal case. For this reason, even suspects of a crime will be able to get out of jail while awaiting the court trial.
For those arrested due to a criminal case filed against them, it is good news to learn that they are not required to stay in jail while they are awaiting trial. This is possible through the payment of bail. However, there are some victims who do not feel satisfied with such rights. What the citizens need to understand is that bail was not created to let the real criminals off the hook. Bail is simply an agreement between the suspect and the court wherein the suspect promises to attend all of the court trials and proceedings. Failure to do so will lead to an arrest and the bail amount posted will not be given back. It is also vital for citizens to understand what bail is and how it works. Bail can be cash, a form of property, or a bond that is given to the court so that the court will release the arrested person from prison. The bail amount can be posted by the suspect, a family member, a close friend, or a bail agent.
The bail can take any form. It can be paid through cash or check for the full bail amount. It can also be a form of property that will serve as collateral, and it must be the same amount of the bail. Bail can also be a bond which is a guaranteed payment of the full amount of bail. A bond can be purchased by the arrested person from a bail bonds agency. The bond will cost 10% of the full bail amount. The 90% will be posted by the bail bond agent. The bail bonds agent might also require collateral to keep the suspect from skipping bail. This means that the suspect must also give the bail bonds agent a financial interest in some of his or her valuable property. In case the suspect decides to skip bail, the agent will send for a bounty hunter to look for the suspect and have him or her arrested for failure to comply with the bail agreement.
If the suspect violates the conditions of the bail, a judge may cancel the bail and have the suspect arrested and returned to jail. It is important to learn the basics of what bail is and how to post it in case one might get involved in a criminal case. Learning the basics of posting bail is also helpful for those people who need to deal with the criminal justice system.
