Enjailed but need to get out quickly?

RyanD
December 17, 2013

Being in jail can cause a variety of problems with one’s mental and physical health and lifestyle, whether he or she is in jail for years or even for just a few days. For one thing, people who are in jail, even for a short amount of time, can find their careers and personal relationships threatened. People who are in jail may also find themselves involved with conditions that are abusive, degrading, and unsafe. Many people find themselves being held in jail until a court date arrives, even if they have not been proven guilty yet. Below is an overview of staying out of jail in the time preceding a court date through bail.

What is bail?

The bail process beings when a suspect is held for a couple days until his or her bail hearing, where a judge decides on an amount of money that the defendant will have to pay in order to be released from custody until the defendant’s court date arrives. When and if the defendant shows up to his or her court date, the money that was paid for bail will be returned to him or her. The amount of money that the defendant will need to pay for bail will depend not only on the court’s decision, but also on the severity of the crime. For example, a case involving public intoxication would require much less bail money than a case involving grand theft or first degree murder. If someone is a suspect for a less serious crime, he or she can often pay bail right away without waiting for a bail hearing.

Why should I pay bail?

Whether or not to pay bail is entirely up to the defendant, but it is a very good idea to do so. After the defendant is accused of a crime, a court date could be scheduled days or even months later. Assuming the defendant does not make bail, he or she will have to be held in jail until the court appears, since he or she will not have the same financial incentive to show up on the court date as someone who paid bail would have. During these days or months that a defendant is held in jail, his or her career obligations and relationships could be adversely affected. There is also the potential for danger when a defendant is held with other inmates. No matter what, being held in jail for any period of time can be severely uncomfortable and demeaning for anyone.

What can I do if I do not have bail money?

It is often the case that a person will lack the financial means to be able to pay his or her bail amount in full. When this is the case, he or she has the option of seeking out a bail bond, which is a loan (that has added interest) given to the defendant to help him or her make bail. These loans can be attained from a bail bondsman, such as those found at www.garzabail.com. Assuming that the defendant plans to show up for the court date and will be able to pay off the interest involved, there should be no problem with paying off the loan.