You never know when an arrest might happen. If you, a friend or a family member are ever charged with a crime, whether guilty or innocent, know that local jurisdictions vary in how they deal with criminal charges. Assuming the last thing you’ll want is to do is spend a night in jail, consider learning about 24 hour bail bonds Allentown PA.
How Bail Bonds Work
If you are arrested and a criminal charge has been set, you can be held in jail until your trial occurs. A local judge will set the bail amount depending on the charges and type of criminal offense committed. You can either wait in jail for your trial to occur, or you can pay the bail amount set by the judge and head home (for now).
Who To Call
Local bondsmen typically take calls around the clock, and they will bail you out if you can’t meet the price set by the court. In exchange for advancing you money, they usually take 8-10% of the bail price as a fee for their services. If you live in Illinois, Oregon, Wisconsin, Kentucky or California, you’ll need to pay a 10% deposit on the bail amount and may also need to put up collateral, such as a home or vehicle title.
Why It’s Worth the Extra Money
The higher your bail, the higher the bail bondsman’s fee will be. For example, if you are charged with a non-violent misdemeanor such as DUI, theft or fraud, your bail will likely be set at $500, and 10% of that is only $50. For felony charges, however, which are more serious, you may see bail set at $20,000 or more.
In most instances, it’s worth it to pay the bail bondsman’s fee to get out of jail. You will still have to appear in court eventually, but in the meantime, you’ll get to sleep in your own comfy bed. Your life will face far fewer disruptions, too. Instead of draining your savings while awaiting trial, you’ll just have paid the bondsman’s fee.