FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BAIL & BAIL BONDS
HOW DO BAIL BONDS WORK?
The process of getting a bail bond for your loved one is simpler than you may think. A judge sets bail during the individual’s arraignment. If you decide to make us your bail bondsmen, you pay 10% of the bail fee and subsequent collateral to cover the full amount of bail at a negotiable rate.
After the paperwork is processed, your loved one is released from jail on the condition that they agree to attend every scheduled court date. If they attend every date, the process ends there.
So if you’re from Bellmead, Waco, or Hewitt, TX and you need a loved one bailed out of jail, call now. No matter what time of day or night, we’ll start working right away to get them released.
What is a Bail?
Bail is a financial guarantee that you will appear in court for your scheduled court dates. You pay a set amount of money so that you can be released from police custody. This money acts as a promise that you will appear in court for all of your scheduled dates. If you cannot post bail, you must wait in jail until your court date.
How does a judge decide the amount of bail?
Several factors go into a judge’s decision when deciding the amount to set for bail. These include, but are not limited to:
- The severity of the crime
- Prior criminal record
- Prior court attendance history
- Whether or not you pose a danger to the community
- Whether or not you are likely to flee after being released
- Your physical and mental condition upon arrest
- Your current financial situation
- Family ties
- Ties to the community
Why hire a bail bondsman?
If you decide to post bail yourself, you will have to pay the full amount. Depending on how high bail is set, that amount can be prohibitively expensive. Even if you can afford to post the full amount yourself, there is some amount of risk involved.
If the defendant fails to appear for a scheduled court date or is arrested again while awaiting a court date, all money posted for bail is forfeited. You will not get this money back. That’s a financial hit that most people can’t afford to take.
If the defendant does appear in court for all scheduled dates, the money will be returned. However, bail can be set at many thousands of dollars, and criminal proceedings can take several months to reach their conclusion. Most people can’t afford to have that amount of money hanging in limbo for that long, even if it will eventually be returned.
A bail bondsman can assume that financial risk for you for a much smaller amount of money than you would pay if you posted bail yourself.
When can I call a bail bondsman for help?
Ash Bail Bonds is available to assist you with posting bail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We know that arrests don’t happen at convenient times. No matter when you need our help, you can call us.
What information should I have when I call a bail bondsman?
- Full name of the jailed person
- Location of the jail where the person is in custody, including city, state, and name of the jail
- Booking number of the jailed person
- The bail agent can get this information for you if you don’t have it, but it will streamline the process if you can get it yourself
- The charges the jailed person is facing
- The amount of the bail
How much does a bail bondsman charge?
A bail bondsman will charge a non-refundable fee of 10-15% of the total bail amount. This number can go up or down depending on the circumstances and the location of the arrest. The bail bondsman may also ask you to sign over collateral as a further guarantee that the defendant will show up in court for scheduled dates.