In many scenarios, bail extended means that the authorities requested more time to finish up their investigation. Therefore, the defendant is out of jail, and their bail timeline has been opened. In bail hearing cases, the judge hears evidence from both patients and sets a bond or bail to be paid as a surety; you won’t skip any court proceedings. Bail hearing cases mainly occur within 48 hours of your arrest. Ordinarily, bail during trial occurs when the judge has no reasonable grounds to keep the defendant in jail. The defendant then awaits sentencing or to be cleared of all charges.
Bail bond agents, also known as a bondsman, work either for a bonds company or independently. A bond is set to a criminal defendant in exchange for freedom. In cases where the defendant can’t pay the complete amount set, a fee is paid to the bail bond agent as security. One of the questions one might find asking themselves if an arrest is; bail decision is made at what stage? There are different types of bail set on a case depending on if it’s minor and major. Bail is not a fine, and upon completion of a court case and if the defendant has made all appearances, the bail is returned.
A full-service bail bond company can be beneficial to you if a loved one has been arrested. Felony criminal bonds and misdemeanor bonds may have different stipulations but either ways, bail bonds can cost a lost of money that most of us don’t have. Using a full-service bail bond company can be just the answer that you need but there are some disadvantages to using them. Here are the pros and cons of a full-service bail bond company.
Advantages
- Freedom
The first benefit is pretty obvious: the accused doesn’t have to sit in jail. Once bail bonds are posted for the person, they are released from custody. If bail bonds are not posted then the accused but wait in the jail cell until their case can be heard in court. This could be weeks or months and they will not be able to work and access to family and friends is limited to visiting hours.
- Lower Payment
If you utilize a full-service bail bond company then the responsibility of the full amount of the bond is not on you. Sometimes bail bonds can be so high that the family is not able to cover the full amount. If this happens, the accused will have to stay in jail unless the bonding company posts bail for them.
- Peace
Something about being in your own home during a difficult time can bring a sense of security and peace and even safety. If your loved one is being accused of a crime, staying in jail might make things worse for them.
- Look
Whichever agency posts bail is the one who will be responsible for how you look in court. They have to make sure you look presentable and ready and the burden will be lifted from your family.
- Family Ties
During this waiting period, families can strengthen ties and grow closer as they work together to figure out what it is going to take to turn the situation around. These ties and closeness are so necessary for someone needing rehabilitation. They will be able to see the love and support shining out. That will be hard to recognize from a holding cell.
- No Stigma
If the accused ends up having to stay in jail there there could potentially be a stigma attached to them or even to the family that couldn’t afford to put up the bonds for their loved one. However, if the bond is posted and the accused can wait in the comfort of their own home, the gossip and the trauma can be avoided.
- Less Responsibility
If a bond agency is utilized then it will be up to the company to make sure that the accused goes to court on their appointment times. The family is freed of the burden and responsibility of having to make sure that their loved one shows up. This can cause friction and tension between the family but if the agency is responsible, then there is no reason for the family to fight over it.
Disadvantages
- Untrustworthy Companies
Not all bonds companies are trust worthy and if the family is not equipped to find the best one, then this could cause undue stress, worry and financial loss.
- Loss of Assets
Some bond companies require you to put down assets as a down payment if the bail bonds are very high. In rare cases they can end up losing their homes or other items they may have put down as collateral.
Generally speaking, the advantages of using a bail bonds company greatly outweigh the disadvantages but the problem is that those disadvantages can be potentially fatal and devastating to the family and their finances is that does happen. If you plan to use a bail bonds company, just make sure that you do the research required and find a company that is reputable and trust worthy because making any kind of agreement or signing a contract. The best way to find a good company is through word of mouth. Always be wary of obligations that will tie you to a bonds company or if they want you to put down collateral. These situations can be problematic in the future and it’s the last thing that you need to deal with on top of everything else that the family has been put through.
