For people involved with the criminal justice system, bail bonds are a point of contention. They exist to prevent them from sitting in jail while they await trial, which means the system should work in their favor. However, many bail bond services around the nation are inefficient. Some people consider the bail bond system to be broken because they claim it is exploitative, expensive, and even contributing to racial disparities. However, there are some bail bond companies making an effort to make their services more accessible and make people’s lives easier. Here are four common misconceptions about bail bonds you need to know about, so you can navigate the system with ease.
There Are No Discounts
A lot of people erroneously believe that there are no discounts available on bail bonds, which fuels their anger toward the system. However, it is possible to get a military discount on bail bond services, as well as payment plan discounts, and even collateral discounts. You can also get repeat customer discounts, which are worth exploring if you are deemed a habitual offender, and work with a specific bail bondsman each time you get arrested.
Bail Bonds Are Refundable
Many people seem to think that bail bonds are refundable, but they are not. Even if a defendant is found not guilty, bail bond fees are non-refundable. The fees you pay are not, in other words, ever going to come back to you, no matter what the outcome of your case is. This is because bail is a choice, not a necessity. You are paying to get out of jail, so it is a service. If you cannot afford to pay your bond and can only do so if it is repaid, you are better off staying in jail or asking somebody to give you the money, rather than loan you it.
Bond Agents Set the Bail Amount
Another misconception is that bond agents are the ones who set the bail amount, but this is not true. It is actually the judge who presides over a person’s bail hearing that sets the bail amount. Understanding this is crucial. If you wrongly believe that bond agents are the ones who set bail amounts, you could end up misdirecting anger about the amount of bail you have to pay at your bond agent, which isn’t fair. Your lawyer should be able to negotiate with the judge to get your bond amount down.
Defendants Must Pay the Entire Bond
Finally, it is also wrongly believed that defendants must pay their entire bond to get out of jail, but this is not true. They usually only have to pay 10%. This means that if a defendant’s bond is set at $10,000, they will have to pay $1,000 to get out of jail. If you are any concerns, doubts, or uncertainties about the amount you have to pay, get in touch with a bond agent today and ask for their support.
The bail bond system has problems, but it works well when you know how to work it. Make sure that you learn about the misconceptions mentioned here so that you can properly prepare yourself and get out of jail as quickly as possible.