Do you have to sell your property to post bail?

The nature of a crime determines the bail amount. When law enforcement officers arrest a person, they might charge him with a petty misdemeanor or felony crimes. As you can probably understand, the bail amount for any misdemeanor is much lower than that of felony charges.

However, there are several divisions and sub-divisions under these categories of charges. Predicting the bail amount is next to impossible for the ordinary folks. When the charges are serious, the bail amount can be quite high. It is only human to feel at a loss during such difficult times.

How can you post bail when you don’t have cash?

Many US citizens do not have the financial ability to pay bail. In such cases, they approach bail bond companies in their localities to help them out. Now, you must be wondering how one can hire bail guarantors when they don’t have the money to make bail?

What is collateral for a bail bond?

You can use your home or car as collateral for the bond at the bail bonds company. One of the biggest fears people in Ohio have is that using a house or car as collateral means giving it away to the bail bonds agency. That is quite absurd. Whatever you use as collateral acts as a safety deposit with the company. It is similar to taking a loan from a bank or credit union against your home as security. 

The bondsman does not take the collateral as a fee. The “security” protects the guarantor of the bond, but it does not act as his fee. He or she provides the service against a fixed price that you should discuss at the beginning of your meeting. Most bail bonds companies only accept houses or automobiles as collaterals. Visit Bail Bond Agent Castle Columbus to learn more about bail bonds and collaterals.

When can you lose the collateral?

The accused can secure his or her release from jail by posting bail before his or her trials begin. It is the right of every US citizen to post bail for any bailable crime, before the court appearance. However, in the event that the defendant fails to appear for his or her court hearing, the judge will release a bench warrant and forfeit the bail. That is what law professionals call skipping bail. In such a situation, it is within the right of the bondsman to take possession of the collateral.

Why should you be careful while searching for bail bondsmen?

When you navigate the bail bonds industry, you will find services of every quality. Looking for a reliable and honest bail bonds company is similar to looking for an excellent criminal lawyer. You can search on Google and filter out the results in Columbus according to reviews and ratings. You can also ask for references and recommendations from your friends and family. Thankfully, the bail bonds companies are under strict regulations in Ohio, and you can check the license or permit of each agent before you hire them.

Hiring the right bail bonds company at the right time can save you a lot of hassle and headache. It can reunite you with your loved one before the court appearances begin. You can utilize this time to look for competent criminal attorneys in Columbus and gather the evidence necessary to strengthen the defendant’s case.