7 Ways Bail Bonds Can Benefit Your Loved One
Finding out that a loved one is in jail and needs bail bonds can be scary, stressful, and disheartening. Many times, the family members of individuals in jail are unsure what their next steps should be.
One aspect of your loved one’s arrest to consider is whether you can help them post bail bonds so they can be released from jail leading up to their court dates or trial. Not all defendants are eligible for temporary release, but if the court determines your loved one is, you may be able to help pay their release amount through a bail bond.
At Southern Bail Bonds Dallas, we know the bail bonds process like the back of our hands. Our goal is to give our Dallas bail bonds clients all the information they need to make the best decision for their families and navigate the bond process smoothly. Many families fail to see the positive aspects of bail bonds and how posting bail for a loved one can be beneficial in the long run. To help you make the most informed decision about your loved one’s bail, we have put together a list of seven ways bail bonds can assist defendants facing criminal charges.
Read on to learn more about the positive aspects of utilizing bail bails and how contacting a Dallas bail bondsmen can help get your loved one released.
What Are Bail Bonds?
Bail bonds are a mystery to many people. When a person faces charges for an offense, they need to await their hearing or trial dates to determine if they will be found guilty or innocent of the charges. In the meantime, they can either stay in jail or pay to be out on bail bonds — which means that they can continue living their normal lives while awaiting their hearings.
The court determines a person’s eligibility for release on bail bonds based on whether they are a flight risk, if they have a history of domestic violence, the nature of their charges, and a few other factors. If a defendant has the opportunity to post the bail bond for their release, they need to pay the amount in cash directly to the jail.
Unfortunately, bail bond amounts are often thousands of dollars, and many individuals do not have enough money to cover such bail amounts all at once. Instead, they can seek assistance from a bail bonds company or bail bond agent to cover most or all of the bail for them.
How Do Bail Bonds Work?
Bail bonds are a type of surety bond between the defendant, the bail bondsman and the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. To secure a bail bond, the defendant must pay a portion of the bail amount, typically 10%. Depending on the amount of the bond, the bail bonds agent may require collateral to secure the bond from possible forfeiture. This collateral may be in the form of jewelry, stocks, real property such as a home, building or land, or other assets that hold value.
If the defendant successfully appears in court for all of their hearings as required, the cosigner(s) will receive their collateral back, and the bail bondsman dissolves the full bond amount. However, if the defendant fails to show up in court, the bond agent keeps the pledged collateral to pay the bail money to the court.
Bail bonds are a significant aspect of mass incarceration and the justice system that many people overlook. However, this payment process allows thousands of defendants to be released from jail until their court date, exemplifying the concept of “innocent until proven guilty.”
If your family member cannot secure a bail bond independently, they may need your assistance to provide collateral or complete the bond process for them.
7 Ways Bail Bonds Can Benefit Defendants
Working with bail bondsmen allows your loved one to acquire the total bail amount and be released from jail until their hearings are completed. Here are seven ways paying the bail amount through a Dallas bail bonds company can benefit the defendant:
1. Lets Them Stick to Their Normal Routine
Being out on bail allows individuals to stick to their regular, everyday routine leading up to their court hearing. Being out of jail allows the defendant the time and freedom to work on their case with their attorney in a less restrictive environment to secure the best outcome possible. It’s almost impossible for a defendant to work on their case effectively if they are restricted to a jail cell.
2. Allows Them to Receive Outside Support
When a person has to wait in a detention center until their hearing, they miss out on the opportunity to seek outside support that could benefit their mental and physical health and well-being. However, staying out on bail allows the defendant to seek support from loved ones, speak with a counselor, attend AA meetings, or obtain access to any other resources they may need before entering the court system.
3. Positively Affects Their Case
Sometimes judges give more favorable outcomes to individuals who have improved their behavior and lifestyle leading up to their hearing. Using a bail bond for the bail amount allows the defendant to do some damage control if necessary, and show positive improvements before appearing in court, all of which could positively affect their case.
4. Keeps Their Arrest Discreet
A defendant charged with a crime is always innocent until proven guilty, and they deserve to appear innocent to their friends, coworkers, and peers while awaiting a judge to determine the verdict. Remaining out on bail allows individuals to keep their arrest discreet. If the court finds them innocent, they don’t need to disclose their charges to anyone.
5. Saves Them Money
Whether the defendant is innocent or guilty, going through a criminal case can negatively impact a person’s financial situation. If a person tries to provide cash bail, they may need to drain their bank account to come up with enough cash to pay their full bail amount.
However, working with bail agents to acquire a bail bond drastically reduces their upfront costs and they don’t have to provide the full bail amount to the courts. Some individuals with less severe cases may even qualify for a PR bond (Personal Recognizance) that does not require them to put up any money or collateral with the court.
Being out on bail also allows the defendant to continue working to come up with the funds needed to cover their legal expenses.
6. Gives Them Time to Seek Legal Advice
Remaining out on bail allows defendants to meet with an attorney, discuss their options, and prepare for their case before they appear in court. If they have to spend the time leading up to their hearing locked away, they will have less access to support from the legal profession, which hurts their chances of receiving a favorable sentence or verdict. Being out of jail while awaiting their court appearance provides the defendant a greater chance of having a successful day in court.
7. Lets Them Spend Time with Family
The legal system involves a lot of unknowns. If the judge ultimately finds your lov