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Lesser-Known Facts About Bail Bonds

The bail bond process can be somewhat of a mystery, especially if you have never had to post bail for yourself or a loved one. We cover this process often in our posts to help you feel as comfortable as possible when you contact us for help. Likewise, we like to provide you with information about local bail bonds so that you don’t experience any unpleasant surprises during the process. Affordable Bail Bonding is your source for bail bonds in Halifax and in today’s post, we’ll review five lesser-known facts about bail bonding. Check them out below.

Bail Bonds Facts

There Is No Guarantee You’ll Be Granted Bail

Most people assume that bail will be set after they are arrested so that they can get out of jail and return to their everyday life. However, bail is not a guarantee. In fact, many offenses are considered non-bailable offenses because of their serious nature. Those who commit these types of offenses are often seen as a risk to themselves or society, which is why the magistrate may deny bail. In Virginia, there are several non-bailable offenses, including:

  • Serious violent crimes
  • Serious drug crimes
  • Third felony offense
  • Fourth DUI
  • Second violation of a protective order
  • Third domestic assault and battery
  • Crimes committed while out on bond

The Bail Amount Must Be Reasonable

Although many individuals feel as though the bail amount determined by the magistrate is unreasonably high, you can rest assured that the Eighth Amendment of the constitution protects your rights in this regard. Specifically, the Eighth Amendment reads:

“Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”

This decree was included in the constitution to prevent our justice system from setting bail amounts that were intended to be punitive. Way back in the days of English monarchs, steep penalties, fines, and other punishments were commonplace, often leaving individuals with no hope of ever getting out of prison. Our founding fathers felt as though we deserved better — thank goodness!

Bail Bonds Are Not Available in Every State

Most people assume that bail bonds are available in their state because of how the arrest and release process is often portrayed in the media. We watch shows in which someone gets arrested, makes their one phone call to a friend or a local bail bondsman, and gets released within a matter of hours. While this might be the case in most states, some do not permit commercial bail bonds. These states include:

  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Nebraska
  • Oregon
  • Wisconsin
  • Georgia

Paying the Bail Amount on Your Own Might Be Risky

In the instances where bail is set at a fairly high amount, individuals often turn to local bail bonds companies like Affordable Bail Bonding to help them get out of jail quickly. This is because we can often help individuals get out of jail for only a 10% bail premium. That means they only have to pay 10% of the total bail amount to our company. Some people opt to post bail for themselves if the bail amount is low enough, but this can be risky. Why? Should you miss a court date or otherwise default on your bail, it is possible that you could lose all the money you paid out.

Bounty Hunters Are Real

Lastly, we are all familiar with the bounty hunters that we see on television. These individuals put themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis, all in the name of returning someone who has skipped bail back to where they came from. But are these people real, or are they fictional characters created by TV show writers? As it turns out, they are real. They are agents who work with the courts and bondsmen to track down and capture those who have skipped town. Bounty hunters often charge a certain percentage of the bail amount as their fee. They are to be respected too, as they are usually able to cross state lines, use non-lethal force, and enter your property without a warrant.

Learn More About Local Bail Bonds in Halifax

Do you have questions about the local bail bonds that we offer in Halifax? Perhaps your loved one has found themselves in a tough spot and could use a little bit of help? Regardless of your situation, Affordable Bail Bonding is here to help. Our experienced bondsmen are dedicated to providing you with fast and affordable bail bond services and we promise to treat you with the respect you deserve. Contact our team right away to request a bail bond in Halifax for yourself or your loved one.

Top 5 Concerns After an Arrest

Picture this: you’re going about your day as you always do, minding your own business when all of a sudden you find yourself in legal trouble. You’ve been arrested and there is nothing to do now but go through the booking process and then wait for the magistrate to determine your bail amount. As a Top Rated Local bail bonds agency in Halifax, we understand that there are probably many things running through your mind in this type of situation, which is why we are here to help you when you need it most. Check out some of the most common concerns that people have after they are arrested and then call our team to request bail bonds in Halifax.

Common Post-Arrest Concerns

Your Safety and Wellbeing

When someone is arrested, their first concern is likely to be for their personal safety and wellbeing. Recent headlines and news reports have put a strain on the police-civilian relationship so much so that people often don’t feel safe when they are under arrest. However, barring any type of resistance on the defendant’s part, the arrest should go without incident. Attempting to flee from the officer, fighting with the cops, and having an attitude with the police are never a good idea and could potentially cause your arrest to be more difficult than necessary.

Being Reunited with Your Family

Once they are certain that their safety and wellbeing is not at risk, most people’s thoughts tend to shift towards their family. It is never easy to be separated from one’s spouse and/or children, especially when emotions are running high. Beyond one’s immediate family, they may also be a caretaker for elderly parents who rely on help with everyday tasks. Familial responsibilities cannot be taken care of from behind bars and that can place a lot of stress on a prisoner as they await their bail hearing.

Returning to Your Job

In addition to worrying about their safety and getting home to their family, most individuals are concerned with returning to their job as soon as possible, if they have one. They may be the sole provider for their family, or they may just be single with a lot of financial responsibility. Just because someone has been arrested doesn’t mean they are financially irresponsible, and sitting behind bars is no way to make a living. Beyond being concerned with returning to work, some people may worry about whether or not their job will take them back because most workplaces don’t look too highly upon missed time because of an arrest.

Finding Legal Representation

Depending on the charges that someone is facing, he or she may opt to find an attorney to help them prepare for their upcoming court date. This is a task that is hard to do behind bars because it is often necessary to meet with the attorney for a consultation to determine whether or not they are a good fit for the pending case. Sure, the prisoner could have a loved one start doing the legwork for them while they are behind bars by placing phone calls to local attorneys, but this could do a disservice to the person who was arrested if the wrong attorney is chosen.

How to Get Out of Jail

All of these concerns with safety, reuniting with family, returning to a job, and finding legal representation can be boiled down to one primary concern: people want to know how they can get out of jail and how they can get out of jail fast. In cases of minor offenses, some people may be released on their own recognizance without having to post bail. Other individuals may face steep bail amounts that they simply cannot afford on their own. In these instances, reputable local bail bonds providers like Affordable Bail Bonding can help a person get out of jail for just a fraction of the total bail amount.

Need Local Bail Bonds in Halifax?

When you need to get out of jail quickly, you can trust our team to respond quickly to your call for help. We offer local bail bonds that are fast and affordable, allowing you to post bail so that you can be reunited with your family, return to your job, and hire the legal representation you need as you prepare for your upcoming court date. Don’t spend a moment longer than you need to behind bars — call Affordable Bail Bonding 24 hours a day, seven days a week to request bail bonds in Halifax.