Posts made in May 2019

Individuals who have been arrested may sometimes be released on their own recognizance, which means they do not have to pay bail. They do have to sign a promise to appear in court as required and may be required to stay in the geographical location and to contact the court regularly to check in. Most cases of being released on one’s own recognizance (ROR) are traffic matters, minor, or technical crimes. In some cases, an ROR is known as “personal recognizance” or a “PR bond.”

States and counties differ in their rules on how to decide who is eligible to be released on their own recognizance. Despite these differences, the following categories or groups of defendants are often eligible to be released on their own recognizance:

Lower Grade Offenders
Most jail officials only want to keep repeat and violent criminals in jail, so lower level, non-violent offenders tend to get priority on personal recognizance bonds.

Indigent Offenders
If a court decides that a defendant cannot afford an attorney, they appoint an attorney on the defendant’s behalf. Also, if they find that the defendant cannot afford a bond, they may grant the defendant a personal recognizance bond so he or she can get out of jail.

Defendants with Serious Medical Conditions
Those with conditions that require weekly treatments may be granted a PR bond so that the county is not liable for the defendant’s medical treatment while in jail.

Defendants with Delayed Charges
If defendants have been held for a long time without a charge being formally filed, they may be released on their own recognizance. Some states cannot keep a defendant for more than 90 days without obtaining an indictment.

Rely on the experienced staff at Always Available Bail Bonds LLC, which serves clients with bail bonds in West Chester, PA, and throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Call 1-800-BAIL-OUT any time of night or day.

The questions below are a continuation of the blog about the most common bail bond questions:

• What if the defendant skips out?
  If a defendant skips his or her court dates, it’s up to the bail bondsman to find and bring the defendant back to court. Courts vary on the amount of time they allow the bondsman to take to find the defendant.  If the defendant is not found in that designated timeframe, the person who has signed the bond is held accountable for paying the full amount of the bond plus additional expenses. You do not want to arrange bail for someone to get out of jail if you are doubtful he or she will appear in court as required.
  
• Do you get your money back when you bail someone out of jail?
  No. The bondsman’s fee is usually approximately 10% of the bail amount. That amount is what the bondsman is paid to get the arrested person out of jail. Collateral, however, is returned once the criminal case is finalized.
  
• If the person is found guilty, do you get your money back?
  With the exception of collateral, the money that is paid to the bondsman is not refunded.  Bond agents make their living on the bail money they are paid. 
  
• Is your money returned if the charges are dropped?
  No. The bail money that is paid to get the arrested person out of jail is only for that purpose and is not adjusted for the arrested person’s guilt, innocence, or court case factors.
  
•  Can a cosigner revoke a bail bond?
  The only person that can revoke a bond is the bail bondsman. The bond agent has the authority to apprehend and surrender the defendant if he or she refuses to go to court. If the bondsman thinks the defendant may cause a forfeiture of the bail bond, he or she can locate and surrender the defendant.
  

 Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC when you need bail bonds in West Chester, PA, any time of night or day. Take advantage of the 24/7 services we offer throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Call 1-800-BAIL-OUT any time of night or day.

Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC when you need bail bonds in West Chester, PA, any time of night or day. Take advantage of the 24/7 services we offer throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. Call 1-800-BAIL-OUT any time of night or day.