3 Things To Know About Collateral With Bail Bonds
Posted on: 11 September 2019
Getting released from jail prior to a criminal trial is usually an option for most people who are arrested for crimes, and the way you can get released before your trial is by paying the bail amount for the crime. The jail or court will tell you the amount you must pay, and if you cannot afford it, you could turn to the assistance of a bail bond agent. If you choose this option, there is a chance you may need to put collateral down in order to use the agency's services. Here are three things to understand about this.
Your Flight Risk Is a Factor With Whether you Need Collateral or Not
One of the biggest factors that will affect whether you need collateral or not is how much of a flight risk you are. Being labeled as a high flight risk means that you are viewed as a person who is likely to flee the area and hide, or you are viewed as a person who is likely to disregard your court hearings. If you are considered a high flight risk, you should expect to have to put collateral down when using a bail bond agency for help.
You Can Typically Get Out With Paying a Non-Refundable Fee
If you find out that you do not need to put collateral down, you should still know that getting out of jail through a bail bond agency will cost you some money. The amount you must pay out of your pocket will be a non-refundable fee, and it typically amounts to 10% of the bail amount the court put in place for your case. If you must pay collateral, this will be on top of this 10% amount, and the collateral you put down is something you can get back from the agency at a later point in time.
You Can Get Your Collateral Back If You Follow the Terms
To get your collateral back from the agency, you would need to follow all the terms of the court and the bail bond agency. If you have court hearings for your case, and you will, you will have to appear on time to these court appearances. If you are told to check in with the bail bond agent, you must do this. If there are other requirements, conditions, and terms, it will be your responsibility to complete and follow these. If you follow every term and rule with the case, you will eventually get your collateral back from the agency.
The Types of Collateral You Could Use
The good news is that if you need collateral to get out of jail, you can use just about anything, as long as it has value. For example, do you have an old car that you have the title to? If so, you could give the title of this car to the agency for collateral. If you have jewelry, you could use this. In some cases, you can even use a credit card to offer cash collateral from it if you have no other options.
Additionally, if you cannot afford to pay the 10% fee upfront, you could use collateral to pay that too; however, you would have to make payments to the agency in order to get your collateral back at the end of your case.
Bail bond agents are in the business of helping people get out of jail, but you should only use the services if you plan on following through with the court process for the charges you are facing. You will face consequences otherwise. To learn more about these services and to find out if you will need collateral, contact a bail bond agency like Steele Boys Bail Bonds in your area right away.
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