When law enforcement authorities arrest you or a loved one, they will place you in jail in most circumstances. In this case, release from jail should be your first priority. Despite your circumstances, we know that you need to get back to your family and your job as your case winds its way through the criminal justice system. While release from jail following an arrest can be a relatively efficient process, there are procedures that you must follow in order to be released or obtain a loved one’s release. Depending on your situation, posting a bail bond may be an option for getting released from jail.
After you are arrested, a judge will set a bond for you to be released from jail. The amount of the bond will depend upon the type of criminal charges you are facing, along with your criminal history. There are different methods of posting bond, which usually depend upon your individual circumstances and the amount of the bond set in your case. For instance, if you qualify for a personal bond, which typically is the case if you are charged with a relatively minor offense, you might only have to pay $20 in order to get released from jail. If you can afford to post the bond that the judge sets, you can be released once you deposit a cash bond, or the entire amount in a cashier’s check or money order.
If you do not have the money to post the bail bond set in your case, your only option may be to post a surety bond. You may be able to enter into an agreement with a bail bondsman to post the bail bond. In very simple terms, you pay the bail bondsman a certain amount of money, which usually ranges from 10 – 25% of the bond set by the court and agree to show up as ordered by the court. In exchange, the bail bondsman promises the court that you will show up to court when ordered, and if you don’t show up, he or she will be responsible for paying the entire bond to the court. In essence, the bail bondsman is taking the financial risk that you will show up in court, so he or she is likely to also require that you check in with him or her at least once each week, that you co-sign the bond, which means that you also are responsible for the entire bond if you fail to show up to court, and that you agree to let him or her place liens on your home and vehicle. This means that you won’t be able to sell your home or car until the bondsman is paid off first. You also will not get the percentage of the bail bond back that you paid to the bondsman.
Contacting an experienced Texas criminal defense attorney as quickly as possible can be essential to building a strong defense against the criminal charges that you are facing, but also to getting out of jail as quickly as possible. Taking steps to fight criminal charges from the outset is often much simpler than waiting until the last minute and attempting to remedy the situation. Call Peek Law Group at (512) 359-3362 today, and learn what we can do to help you with your legal matter.