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Being arrested and taken to jail can be a scary time. Your top priority is to reclaim your freedom and to get yourself released from jail as fast as possible. To do this, you’re going to need some help. Unless you have enough cash or assets to pay for your own bail, you’re going to need someone to arrange bail for you. But can anyone bail you out of jail? Choosing the right person is vital. Here, we’ll explain who can bail you out of jail and share extra tips to help make your release as easy as possible.
First, let’s address whether anyone can bail you out of jail. The simple answer is yes. The person who bails you out doesn’t need to have any specific connection to you. However, to be eligible to bail you out, they must meet the following criteria:
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Be over 18 years old.
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Have the financial means to pay the bail amount or continue to make the bail bond payments.
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Be a resident of the United States of America.
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Demonstrate their dependability e.g. have lived in the same community for a specific period of time, be employed with a regular income.
How to Choose the Right Person to Bail You Out of Jail
Bailing someone out of jail is a massive responsibility, so whoever bails you out has a big decision to make before entering into the bail agreement. However, it’s also vital you have the right person bail you out of jail. Here’s how to choose the right person to bail you out:
Choose someone dependable
Choosing someone dependable to bail you out is crucial. Choosing an unreliable person could mean your release is delayed. Keep in mind that if the person who puts up your bail changes their mind, you could be sent straight back to jail.
Pick someone with financial security
The person putting up bail for you needs to be financially secure and able to pay the bail bond fee without forfeiting payments.
Select someone who will support you
Being arrested and facing court is always a challenging experience. Having someone to post bail for you, who is willing to support you and demonstrate this to the judge can work in your favor as it reduces your flight risk.
How Does the Bail Process Work?
After being arrested, the defendant will be taken to the police department or jail to be booked in. The bail process starts from here; this is how it works:
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The defendant is booked in - their fingerprints and mug shots are taken.
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The defendant is allowed to make a phone call to loved ones within a few hours of being arrested.
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If the defendant is charged, the jail may consult the bail schedule to decide the bail amount. In some cases, a bail hearing is required, and a judge will decide whether the defendant is eligible for bail and set the bail amount.
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Bail can now be posted on behalf of the defendant. This is usually arranged by contacting a bail bond company.
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After the bail amount is paid, the defendant should be released with a few hours.
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To stay out of jail, the defendant must comply with the conditions of their bail and agree to attend their court date.
What Bail Options are Available?
Bail is often set at tens of thousands of dollars, and there are a few different ways to cover this substantial cost:
Cash Bail
Cash bail means that the full bail amount is paid to the court. As few people have thousands of dollars spare, this option isn’t frequently chosen.
Property Bonds
Property bonds involve using an asset, such as your property, as collateral. If the defendant doesn’t comply with their bail conditions, the property can be seized.
Bail Bonds
Bail bonds are the most popular way of posting bail. This involves paying a fee to a bail bond company in exchange for them posting bail on the defendant’s behalf. The fee is typically around 10% of the total bail amount.
How is the Bail Amount Decided?
A few factors influence the bail amount that needs to be paid to secure a defendant’s release, these include:
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The seriousness of the crime.
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The level of danger the defendant poses to the public.
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Any previous criminal behavior.
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Their flight risk, i.e. the likelihood that they could skip their court appearances.
The more risk involved, the higher the bail amount will be.
Why Seeking Legal Advice is Important
Seeking professional legal advice as soon as you can is really crucial. Getting a lawyer to work on your case can help you to ensure that you receive a fair bail hearing, Your lawyer can also argue for you to receive bail, and put forward arguments to reduce the bail amount that needs to be paid.
What are Bail Bond Requirements?
The person you choose to bail you out of jail will need to meet the following bail bond requirements for your release to be processed:
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Agree to the terms set out in the bail bond agreement.
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Demonstrate financial responsibility and the ability to pay the bail bond fee, as well as the forfeited amount if the defendant breaches their bail conditions.
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Have property or assets that can be put up as collateral to guarantee the bail amount can be paid.
What are the Consequences of Skipping Bail?
Skipping bail has major consequences for the defendant, the person who bailed them out, and any co-signers on the bail bond agreement, these include:
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The defendant being re-arrested and taken back to jail until their trial date.
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The person who posted bail and any co-signers having property seized to cover the bail amount.
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The defendant being refused bail in the future.
How to Secure Your Release
Choosing the right people to help bail you out of jail is an excellent way to secure your release quickly. It’s also vital to work with a bail bond company, such as Alana’s Bail Bonds, who can post bail on your behalf quickly and efficiently to ensure you don’t need to spend a second longer in jail than needed.
Contact Alana’s Bail Bonds to secure your release today!
