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It’s normal that people ask, ‘If you pay bail do you still go to jail?’ After all, if you have just a vague understanding of how the bond system works, then you would be forgiven for thinking that it’s possible to leave jail just by paying some money to the courts.
But that’s not really what happens. If you’ve been arrested, then posting bail doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to return home forever and ever. What it does do, however, is ensure that you can minimize the amount of time you spend behind bars.
In this post, we’ll run through everything you need to know about how posting bail influences your time in jail. Already in need of a bail bond agent? Then don’t hesitate to contact us here at Alana’s Bail Bonds by calling 619-468-9333.
The Truth About Paying Bail: Jail Time Avoidance?
The simple answer to this question is that yes, paying bail can help you avoid jail time. However, there’s a caveat; it’ll only help you avoid jail on an immediate, short-term basis. You may still face time behind bars if you’re found guilty by the courts.
Posting bail allows you to leave jail and return home until your court date. If you don’t post bail, then you’ll likely have to stay in jail until your court date, which may be many months in the future. So while posting bail is a lifelong ‘get out of jail’ card, it can ensure that you can return home until the next stage of the legal process.
Paying Bail: Does it Guarantee Freedom from Jail?
Paying bail will guarantee freedom from jail on a short-term basis. Basically, it allows you to leave jail and return home until you’re due in court. That can be highly beneficial, since, if you’re found not guilty of the charges against you or you’re given a non-custodial sentence, then you’ll have spent virtually no time behind bars provided you called a bail bond agent as soon as possible after your arrest.
Paying bail doesn’t influence your long-term chances of spending time behind bars, except for that it allows you to prepare for your court case in a more relaxed environment, which may improve your chances of court success. However, if you’re found guilty and you’re given a custodial sentence, then there’ll be no amount of money you can pay to guarantee your freedom.
Bail Payments Impact: Freedom or Incarceration?
This question really gets to the heart of the benefits of posting bail. If you choose not to post bail, then you’ll be committing to spending time incarcerated until your court date. At that point, it’ll only be a not-guilty verdict or a non-custodial sentence that’ll allow you to return home. Given that months can pass between the initial arrest and the court date, that can result in significant time behind bars.
On the other hand, if you post bail soon after your arrest, then you can be home in a matter of hours. If you need help paying your bail amount, as many people do, then get in touch with Alana’s Bail Bonds — we offer a variety of flexible payment plans that’ll allow you to return home as soon as possible.
Understanding the Relationship Between Bail and Jail Time
The relationship between bail and jail is both simple and complicated. It all depends on what type of jail time we’re talking about.
For instance, if we’re talking about pre-trial jail time, then the relationship between bail and jail time is pretty simple. Once bail has been posted, you’ll be free to return home and prepare for your court case in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
Bail has no influence on post-trial jail time. If you’re found guilty by the courts and are given a custodial sentence, then whether you’ve paid bail or not will be irrelevant. However, it must be said that people often find they can better prepare for their court case when they’re not behind bars, so in this sense posting bail may have an indirect impact on your future jail time.
Paying Bail: A Get-out-of-Jail Card or Temporary Relief?
Posting bail is both a get-out-of-jail card and temporary leave. It’ll allow you to leave jail and return home with your loved ones. It’s also a temporary relief in that if you’re found guilty, then you may end up spending time behind bars later down the line.
However, if you view bail as ‘temporary relief,’ it’s worth keeping in mind that, when we’re talking about the difference between being incarcerated and returning home, temporary relief is highly valuable — it’s significantly better than no relief at all. After you’ve spent essentially any time in jail, you’ll be eager to leave and return home, and that’s just what posting bail allows.
Debunking the Myth: Paying Bail Doesn't Always Equal Jail Avoidance
The judicial system wouldn’t work if people could just pay some money and leave jail. Posting bail doesn’t apply to court-issued sentences, so if you’re found guilty in court and the judge sentences you to time behind bars, then that’s where you’ll end up.
Bail applies to the time between being arrested and going to court. If you don’t post bail, then you’ll likely stay behind bars until your court date. So in that sense, posting bail can mean spending many fewer months in jail.
Bail Payment: Is it Worth it If You Still End Up in Jail?
Posting bail is 100% worth it even if you still end up in jail following your court appearance. It’ll allow you to return home to your family and prepare for your case in a more relaxed environment. Any time spent with freedom is valuable, and it’s posting bail that’ll allow you to do that.
If you’re in need of a reputable bail bond agent in San Diego and elsewhere in California, then don’t hesitate to contact us here at Alana’s Bail Bonds. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 619-468-9333.
