How Does Bail Money Work

Whether you or a loved one has been arrested, the one thing that you want more than anything else is a fast release. With misdemeanors and minor charges, the only way for an arrestee to be released is by posting bail. If you have yet to post bail or you don’t know much about the process, it can be an incredibly overwhelming process, and there are often a lot of unanswered questions.

One of the many questions that people ask in regards to bail is where it goes and what it is used for. While the cost of bail can vary, it is relatively common for it to be high enough that people need assistance covering it. Since it is such a costly payment to make, it makes perfect sense that people are curious as to where this money is going.

If this is a question that you’ve been chewing on, today’s blog is for you. We are going to dive into the purpose of bail and how the money that you’re paying is used.

How Bail Became a Thing

When someone is arrested for charges that have been made against them, the standard procedure would call for them to stay in jail until their trial date. Bail was designed to provide individuals with misdemeanors and less serious charges with an opportunity to be released from jail and enjoy their freedom until they have they have to appear in court.

Understanding that this is the purpose of bail is the first thing that we want to make sure is covered. That being said, the money that you’re paying for bail doesn’t necessarily go towards a specific cost, but rather, is a method of collateral that the courts use to ensure that you show up to your trial at a later date.

How is Bail Determined?

Now that you have a basic understanding of bail and the purpose behind it let’s talk a little bit about the numbers. Since bail is used as collateral to release a defendant until their trial, it makes sense that every case is treated differently. For instance, someone with a traffic ticket wouldn’t have the same bail amount as someone charged with murder.

Bail is determined by the charges, the nature of the crime, past criminal history, flight risk, and so much more. With all things considered, smaller crimes usually have smaller bail amounts set while serious crimes can get quite expensive or be denied entirely. Essentially, the bail that is being paid is a form of reassurance that the defendant will return and attend their court date given that bail is repaid after the trial is done. This serves as some initiative for the defendant to appear.

How to Pay Bail

Posting bail means that the cost has been covered. While the bail amount will be in dollar amounts, there are a few different ways that you can cover bail. The most common method is by paying in cash. If you have enough money set aside that you are able to do so, this is a fantastic option to take care of.

The second method is to reach out to a bail bond company that can help front the money to you. This will always require a fee at the time of the bail bond and some additional reassurance that the remainder of the money will be paid in the case that the defendant does not attend court. Usually, the fee will range from 10 to 15 percent of the amount of the bond and collateral can be provided through personal property (such as a home, car, property, etc.), or through an agreement stating that the remainder of the bond will be paid by the signer.

Once the money has been gathered, it is paid to the jail and the arrestee is released. At that point, this money belongs to the court. It will, however, be returned at the point of a court appearance.

Contact ASAP Bonding

Now that you have a general idea of how bail works and why it was created, you can rest assured that your money is not going towards any one thing, but instead is serving as collateral until the defendant returns for their trial. If you are in need of assistance with posting bail, ASAP Bonding is the bail bond company to call. We have provided the Lawrenceville area with high quality, efficient bail bond services for years. Contact our team today to get started!