What is bail? What does it mean?
The concept of bail is the payment of cash or a cash alternative to secure the arrested persons presence to appear in court. A failure to attend court will mean the court is able to keep the bail payment and release a warrant for the arrest of the defendant. It’s therefore very important that you show up for your court appearance.
How is the bail amount set?
Bail amounts are set and based off of the bail schedule set forth by the local magistrate. Bail amounts increase based on felony or misdemeanor charges. Bail is set at time of booking into the local jail. Bail reductions may be requested by defendant’s, the defendant’s family or the defendant’s legal representation, but must be done in the form of a bail hearing set based on the convenience of the presiding judge. Bail hearings can often go either way; the defendants legal representation argues their case while the District attorney argues theirs.
What is a bail bond? How much does it cost?
A bail bond is the payment made to someone in exchange for them providing the full bail payment to the court. It is typically a much smaller percentage of the total amount, say 10%. For example, if bail is set at $100,000 then the payment to a bail bondsman may be $10,000. They will then pay the full amount to the court as security for the defendant’s release. These fees are set, fixed and controlled by the Department of Insurance.
How can I pay my bail bond?
We are able to accept a variety of payment types for your bail bond, from cash, check, credit cards, Western Union and PayPal. We will also accept collateral as security until you are able to fully pay the bail bond.
Under what circumstances should I call a bail bondsman?
We encourage any client to call us as soon as you are arrested. We will be able to provide an immediate answer on whether we are able to help you.
What happens after someone is arrested?
The arrested person will be taken into booking to provide fingerprints and a photo, after which they will be entitled to make one free phone call. This can either be to us, or to you in order that you instruct us to begin working on the bail arrangements.
Are there any ways to get someone out of jail without a bail bondsman?
Is the bail bond company the only way to get someone one out of jail? You have two options when it comes to securing the fast release from jail of a friend or loved one.
1. Use a licensed bail bondman such as Joshua Varozza Bail Bonds, who are registered with the courts and able to legally submit a bail bond on your behalf.
2. You are able to meet the full bail payment yourself. While this money may be refunded to you, there may also be a number of other court fees/fines that you can become liable for if they are not attended to. It can take considerable time to have your money returned to you by the courts; often between 1-2 years. You should only consider this option if the money is not likely to be needed in the near future.