The Ins and Outs of Bail – What You Need To Know

You may have heard about bail from friends or family that have been arrested, but you probably don’t know more than what they have told you about their experience of going into and getting out of jail. Here are some questions many people ask about the ins and outs of the bail system.

Knowing What Bail Is

Bail is the amount paid to a bail bond company such as bail bonds Washington PA to get out of jail. The amount is determined by a judge as part of the agreement to allow someone to leave the jail, with the promise that person will make all appearances the court schedules. The money is held in escrow with the court and given back to the bailee if all conditions are met – except for the bond company fee.

Getting the Proper Information

Before contacting the bail company, there are a few things you should know. The location of the jail, the full booking name of the person, the offense, and the bail amount. If possible, getting the booking number of the jailed individual will also save time. After giving all the information to the bail company, they can help you post the required amount of “bail,” and the jailed person can be released.

Using What You Have

Not everyone has enough money to post cash for a bail bond, so a system was created to use other items as well. There are three ways to post bail. You can use cash and pay a bondsman. You can use land or a home as collateral with the court. Lastly, you can post cash with the court for the full amount of the bail.

The bail system can be confusing, and not knowing how it works can be frustrating. With the help of the information above, you can be aware of the ins and outs of bail, the court process, and what you can use to post bail.