Bail is cash or a bail bond accepted in court in exchange for allowing the defendant to stay out of custody until their case is concluded. It creates a monetary incentive for defendants to present themselves in court for all their required appearances. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the bail is forfeited, whereby the court keeps the amount, and an arrest warrant is then issued by the judge. Bail jumping (not appearing in court when required) in itself is a crime.
What Does a Court or Jail Accept as Bail?
Bail can typically be posted in any one of the following ways:
- Paying the complete amount of the bail. For example, if a court or the police have set bail at $1,500, the defendant may pay the amount in cash or via a credit card.
- Buying a bail bond from a bail bond services provider. These sellers generally charge a non-refundable premium of around 10 percent of the amount of bail. The seller will have to forfeit the bail amount to the court in the event that the defendant fails to appear in court.
- Depositing property with the court that is worth at least the complete amount of the bail. For instance. If the court or the police set the bail at $1,500, and the defendant owns a watch that is worth at least that amount, they may be eligible to use it to post bail.
Court-Financed Bail
Some states offer a hybrid between complete cash bail and a bail bond. Under this system, the person pays a fee to the court directly amounting to 10 percent of the complete cash bail; some collateral may also be necessary. This fee is then returned to the defendant if they make it to all their court appearances. If they don’t appear, they will have to post the complete bail amount and face arrest along with the added charge of bail jumping.
Reliable Bail Bond Services in Indiana
If you’ve found yourself in need of a bail bond, let us use our expertise to work. At DeLaughter Bail Bond, we offer a 24-hour bail bond service for every situation. We try our best to help out defendants get out of jail as they await their trial. Reach out to us for the lowest bail bond rates available. We extend our bail bond services in Allen Country, Whitley County, and Huntington County, IN.
