What Seniors Need to Know About Bail and Bail Bonds

When you get arrested, you can either stay in jail or get released by bail until the hearing. In most situations, you have to share collateral or post-money to get released on bail. Most people don’t have huge cash. Hence, the bail bond agents provide the bail bonds. Here are a few things to know about it. 

• Senior lawyer can get the bail amount reduced

The common crimes come with a pre-set bail amount. The other crimes might need a bond hearing for the judge to decide a fair amount for the bail. If your bail amount is more, your lawyer can file for a bail minimization hearing. To know more, you can check out Castle Bail Bonds. 

In most cases, the lawyer will use the Eighth Amendment of the US Constitution that forbids increased bail. They can prove to the court that you don’t pose any flight risk and aren’t a risk to your community. Courts necessarily won’t reduce the bail because a person can pay it. Hence, the lawyer will need to prove that you are an upstanding citizen as you await the trial. 

• Bail bonds can be unsecured and secured

The secured bail bonds are precisely that! At times, a bail bond agent might need collateral along with the 10% fee. However, in most cases, a qualified co-signer is what you require to offer to a bail bond agent. For a secured bail bond, you have to provide collateral that acts as a promise that you will attend the hearing. It also comes with security if you don’t follow the hearing and in case the bail bond agent loses their bond cash, which they posted for you. They can sell the collateral to recover their losses. 

In case of an unsecured bail bond, there’s no need for collateral. It is the right choice when you don’t have a valuable asset or property. The unsecured bail bonds get accepted by the bail bond agent as you promise to appear in court. It usually gets used for a minor crime. If a person gets accused of murder, they won’t qualify for this bail bond type. 

• You might require a co-signer for the bail bond

If you have applied for an unsecured bail bond, chances are you might require a co-signer for the same. The truth is bail bond agents don’t know you personally and your trustworthiness. And because of this reason, they will want someone who knows the accused and will stand by them with a promise that they will attend the court hearings. 

If the accused person runs away, the bail bond agent will follow up with the co-signer for the cash they owe to lose the bail bond. If the co-signer thinks that the accused might not attend the hearing, they can contact the bail bond and request withdrawal from the bond. It might lead the accused back to jail, which is called off-bonding. 

These are the three essential clauses of the bail bonds. Now that you are aware of it, you can opt-in for it with knowledge and caution.