About 10 million Americans are arrested annually on different charges. When you are arrested, the first thing that runs through your mind is when you will be free. Depending on the specifics of your crime, you can post bail and gain your independence. Unfortunately, there are times when you cannot raise the bail required. This should not mean you have to languish in jail until the hearing and determination of your case and risk losing your job, family, and home.
You can find a firm that offers bail bondsman services in Utah to pay your bail amount. Most people, however, avoid this option since they are unsure how it works. Here are some details on the various components of a bail bond service:
Payment Plan
Most bondsmen will charge a set amount of money to guarantee your bail and an additional percentage as their service fee. In most cases, the service fee is about 15% of the bail amount. You will discuss the ideal payment plan for this money with the bondsman. Most will need a weekly or monthly repayment in the form of credit and debit cards, personal checks, money orders, and electronic bank withdrawals. The fees and bond premiums paid are non-refundable.
Down Payment
Before the payment of your bail, you should have settled a certain amount as down payment. This can be in a monetary form or collateral, such as land, property, cars, and valuable jewelry. There is no guideline on the down payment amount in bail bonds. This generally depends on the amount of your bail. A bondsman will consider your financial situation and credit score. If you can prove that you will pay the bond amount in time, the down payment might be low.
Co-Signing
Having a low credit score will not automatically lock you out of getting a bail bond. You can have the bond co-signed by someone else with an excellent credit rating. But there are different requirements set by the bondsman, which your co-signer should meet. Though it is not his/her responsibility to repay the bond, the bail bondsman will contact the co-signer if you default on your payments. The co-signer should also ensure that you attend all your court hearings so that the bondsman can recover the money paid for your bail.
GPS Monitoring
This is commonly used in cases that involve a large bail amount. GPS monitoring might be used to track your movements and guarantee the bondsman that you will not jump bail. The tracking might also reduce the fees meant to finance your bail bond. Though the courts sometimes require this monitoring as part of their bail agreement, your bondsman can still use it without a court’s direction.
Being arrested does not have to mean disrupting your entire life while the courts might find you innocent in the future. Finding a bail bondsman is your best choice to continue with your life even through your trial. With the above information, you have a clue about how the process works and what to expect. After your release, ensure that you stick to your payment plans to avoid jeopardizing your credit score.
