What Are Bail Bonds and How Can They Help You in Texas?

 Posted on August 03, 2020 in Bail Bonds

If you, a friend, or a relative are arrested, a bail bond can be very helpful. To understand what a bail bond is and why you might benefit from one, it is important to know how the booking process works when accused of a crime. Depending on the crime, certain offenders are eligible to post bail in Texas, which allows them to get out of jail and return to their home while they await a court date. If it comes time to pay for a bail bond to get yourself or someone close to you out of jail, it is imperative that you work with an experienced, licensed bail bonds issuer to help alleviate your stress and develop a plan of action.

The Booking Process

If you are arrested and taken to jail, you typically have to wait there for several hours before being given a court date. In court, you will present your defense with your attorney. At this moment, as the accused, you have two options: You can either stay in jail until your court date, or you can post bail. Bail is an amount of money that can be paid in cash and is determined by the severity of the charges and whether or not this is your first criminal offense. For example, if you have to post a bail of $5,000, a cash payment of that value will ensure that you are released until your scheduled court date. Whoever pays this amount will receive his or her money back if you, the defendant, attends all of your scheduled court dates. 

An arrest can occur at any time, so most bail bond agencies are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Generally, payment can be completed electronically to help expedite the process. The paperwork is basically a contract between the friend or relative who posts bail, making sure he or she fully understands that he or she is agreeing to be responsible so the defendant shows up to all of his or her court dates.

A Bail Bond Is a Form of Collateral

What if you simply do not have a large sum of cash available? This is where bail bonds come in. Bail bonds agents are licensed by the state to issue bonds. They will charge either a fixed amount or a percentage of the total bond value that you must pay as a premium as if this was insurance. Although you would not get the money back, it is typically far easier to have say, $500 on hand instead of $5,000 for many people. If the court believes the defendant will attempt to flee the state or country, he or she is considered a flight risk and bail may not be an option.

In many cases, defendants wish to be bailed out of jail as soon as possible to return to their jobs, take care of their families, and prepare for their court proceedings. Court proceedings can take weeks or even months and with bail bonds, individuals do not have to put their lives on hold while waiting for a trial date.

Contact a Denton County Licensed Bail Bonds Issuer

Those first hours when you or your loved one is arrested can be stressful, but it is important to act swiftly and contact an experienced McKinney bail bonds issuer. By doing so, you will eliminate the stress of having to acquire a large sum of money on such short notice. At Doc’s Bail Bonds, we have years of experience providing timely and reliable service to those in need of bail bonds so they do not have to spend time in jail. To learn more about how we can help you, contact us today at 214-747-4110.

Source:

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.17.htm