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Part 1: Lawful and Unlawful Arrests

A person who is being arrested must be informed that he or she is being arrested. However, when a law enforcement officer is making the arrest, a visible badge or uniform is sufficient to inform the person that he or she is being arrested. For an arrest to be lawful, a law enforcement officer must also tell the person arrested what they are being arrested for. If telling the person what they are being arrested for is too dangerous—or will lead to an escape—can the officer making the arrest skip this requirement. When a law enforcement officer is making an arrest under a warrant, the person arrested must be informed of the warrant and shown the warrant if they ask the arresting officer.

What Is a Warrant?

A warrant is issued by a legal process from the court or another official body for the arrest of a person. An arrest warrant is typically for criminal charges; it may also be used in relation to mental health or guardianship issues. When the warrant is deemed “valid,” the person making the arrest cannot be sued in civil court for false arrest. A valid warrant must include:

The name of the court or other official issuing entity.
The arrested person’s name or description.
The offense or reason for the arrest.
Additional criminal procedure requirements to make a warrant valid depend on the jurisdiction.

Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC at 1-800-BAIL-OUT when you or someone in your life needs affordable bail bonds in Williamsport, PA, or anywhere in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Misconceptions About Bail Bonds

The first and least useful misconception about bail bondsmen is that they are disreputable. The truth is that most bail bondsmen are hardworking individuals who are motivated by helping families get by during a tremendously difficult time. Also, the best bondsmen are extremely knowledgeable about laws as they pertain to many kinds of cases, as well as about local law enforcement agencies and the area’s court system. Some of the most common myths or misconceptions about bail bonds, in general, include all of the following:

You Can Only Pay Bail Bondsmen in Cash

While cash is certainly acceptable, other options are available for you to pay bail bond companies. At Always Available Bail Bonds LLC, payments for bail bonds in West Chester, PA, and nearby can be made by credit card quickly over the phone.

Bail Amounts Are Negotiable

Bail amounts set by the court are not negotiable. A bail bondsman can help get you to get out of jail, but the bail amounts depend on what the charges are, whether the accused has a previous criminal record, and the probability that the defendant will show up in court. The judge is the only person who can adjust the amount of bail.

Individuals Can Only be Bailed Out by Family Members

Anyone older than 18 or can bail someone else out of jail. However, if you have posted a bond for someone else and the person fails to appear for court, you will lose your bond, and it will be forfeited.

The Importance of Exercising Your Right to Remain Silent, Part 2

Even if you are in police custody, you still have rights. In police custody, however, you must remain absolutely silent for the entire questioning period if you want to invoke this right without specifically stating it. It’s much safer to specifically state, “I want to invoke my right to remain silent.”

It’s a fact that the police are under no obligation to ask you if you are invoking your right or to clarify that you have invoked this right. That’s why you need to be aware of your rights and specifically state that you do not want to talk to the police or that you won’t answer any questions. Then, be sure to remain silent if the police continue to question you.

Speaking after you have invoked your right to remain silent means that the court may find that you waived your right to silence simply by speaking. When you invoke your right immediately, it is easier to avoid accidentally saying something that you did not mean.

You want to be sure to know how to assert your right to remain silent. Once you know how to be as clear as possible, there will be no question that you are asserting your right to remain silent. Use clear language and speak with authority while using one of the following phrases:

I do not want to talk to you. I want to speak with an attorney.
I am invoking my right to remain silent.
I refuse to speak with you.
I am claiming my Miranda rights.
I am choosing to remain silent.

Take advantage of the 24/7 services of Always Available Bail Bonds LLC for bail bonds in West Chester, PA, and all of the surrounding areas. Call 1-800-BAIL-OUT any time of night or day.

The Importance of Exercising Your Right to Remain Silent, Part 1

Most people realize that they have the right to remain silent even if they have never been involved in a criminal situation, but do you know what it really means and when it can be used? Everyone that lives in the United States should have a clear understanding of the importance of this basic right. This right is one of the many constitutional rights you have in the criminal process.

If you have been arrested, you must immediately invoke your right to remain silent, which means that all police questioning must stop. If you continue to be questioned by the police after you’ve clearly invoked your right to stay silent, it’s a violation of your Miranda rights. If your Miranda rights are not invoked, any subsequent statements you make may not be used against you in court. However, you must have specifically stated that you are invoking your right to silence.

Miranda Rights are named for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona. Used in the United States, the Miranda warning is a type of notification customarily given by police to criminal suspects in police custody advising them of their right to silence. In other words, those in custody have a right to refuse to answer questions or provide information to law enforcement or other officials.

Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC when you need bail bonds in West Chester, PA.

The Difference Between Bail Bonds and Bail

If you or someone in your life has been arrested, you want to know and understand the difference between bail and bond. After someone has been arrested for a crime, that person may have to pay what is known as “bail” to stay out of jail. A judge may set the entire amount of the bail before the person can be released from jail to await his or her court date. There are some instances in which the amount set for bail is too high for an individual to pay, and a bondsman is needed.

Bail is the amount of money it takes to get you or a loved one out of jail until the court date. A bail bond, however, is when a bondsman is paid to guarantee the full bail amount to the court, but you are only required to pay a percentage of the entire bail to the bondsman.

If you or the arrested person appears in court as required, the set bond amount that was posted is returned to the bail bond company or bondsman, and any collateral is safe from collection. In the event you decided to pay the entire bail amount directly to the court, you get it all back after court fees have been subtracted.

Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC at 1-800-BAIL-OUT when you or someone in your life needs to know about bail bonds in Allentown, PA, or throughout Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Benefits of Being a Bail Bondsman

You may not find much glamor in being a bail bondsman, but it can be a fulfilling, lucrative, and interesting position for the right person. Bail bondsmen are essential players in the criminal justice system because they assist law enforcement, and help criminals get their lives back on track. While this line of work can be dangerous, there are also a number of benefits including all of the following:

Flexible Schedule: As a bail-bond agent you can work as much or as little as you want. Bail bondsmen control what days and hours they work, whether full-time or part-time.
Good Income: Without working full-time hours and days you may be able to draw full-time income if you write several bonds each month.
Opportunity for Self-Employment: Once you’ve learned the business you have the option to start your own bond company. You will then be able to control all of the daily operations, including choosing the bonds you want or don’t want to write.
Job Security: The bond business is always necessary despite recessions. In fact, an economic downturn corresponds with a higher crime rate, so the bail bond agent always has job security.

Rely on an experienced company like Always Available Bail Bonds LLC for affordable bail bonds in West Chester, PA, when you or a loved one needs help. Our service areas include all of Eastern Pennsylvania.

What to Expect at a Bail Hearing

It will help your level of stress when you know what to expect from your bail hearing. A bail hearing typically takes place for a judge to determine whether or not the arrested person is likely to run, and miss future court appearances and a trial. The purpose of a bail hearing is to set the exact amount of the bail that is required if bail is granted. The defendant can present evidence but the decision about bail is ultimately made by the court.

There are a number of different scenarios that can occur when it comes to a bail hearing, if the judge decides to release a person on bail, he or she is likely to believe that the arrested person won’t be a flight risk. The following are some of the details that may occur if you or a loved one does make bail:

The judge may require you to stay in a specific place or at a specific address.
You may be required to stay in contact with the police.
The judge may require you to stay away from witnesses involved in your case.

Chances are you will not be eligible for bail is any of the following is true:

You’ve missed court in the past.
You were arrested while you were already out on bail.
You committed a violent crime.

For swift and affordable bail bonds in Scranton, PA, and the surrounding areas, call Always Available Bail Bonds LLC at 1-800-BAIL-OUT.

Choosing a Public Defender, Part 2

To continue with our discussion on “Choosing a Public Defender,” you should know that a public defender is not able to give you or your loved one the kind of time that would be available to you with a private lawyer. Public defenders are known to handle their clients in a fast-paced manner. There is also the matter of convenience. If you are being represented by a public defender, you may have to wait a long time before your case is heard. Private attorneys tend to receive priority in some courtrooms and can have their clients moved through at a convenient pace.

The public defender you work with should know all the standard offers given by the “People” in their assigned courtroom after the first month on the job. However, they are not always able to get the experience they need in a timely manner. So, keep in mind that making special deals, outside the “standard offer” for clients, is a function of time, experience, and skill.

A public defender does represent clients in trials. Private attorneys have fewer trials because they get cases with highly motivated clients because of the large expense of a trial. Also, before taking a case to trial, private attorneys take the time to go over the risks and benefits of a trial. Public Defenders are paid a fixed salary based on a grade set by the county. If you can’t afford an experienced and skilled private attorney, working with a public defender makes much more sense than going on your own.

The services of Always Available Bail Bonds LLC are offered on a 24-hour basis for bail bonds in West Chester, PA, and all of the surrounding areas. Call 1-800-BAIL-OUT any time of night or day.

Choosing a Public Defender, Part 1

If you or a loved one has been arrested, you may be wondering if you should choose a public defender or a private lawyer. Of course, if you are short on money or in a difficult financial situation hiring a public defender is the best choice for you. Keep in mind that the public defender is a licensed attorney. As in any group of professionals, some have more experience than others. Typically the younger less experienced public defenders are assigned to misdemeanor courts, and the more experienced go on to handle felony cases.

When you go with a public defender, you aren’t able to select your own attorney, because your lawyer will be assigned by the Office of the Public Defender. You get the next public defender on the calendar. However, in some felony cases, a specially assigned public defender handles the matter after the arraignment. Or, in some cases, there may be a technical issue of a conflict which means the Public Defender’s Office cannot take a client.

In general, public defenders have to take all the qualified individuals who request their services. So, that is why they generally have very large caseloads, which means they may not be able to delegate the amount of time you feel you deserve. The fact of their having so many cases is the one area that causes the most complaints.

Contact Always Available Bail Bonds LLC at 1-800-BAIL-OUT when you need to know how to bail someone out of jail in West Chester, PA, and all of the surrounding areas.

Your Best Friend in Jail is Your Bail Bondsman

No one ever intends to end up in jail. However, if you or a loved one has been arrested and is sitting in a jail cell in Pennsylvania, the first person you should call is a bail bondsman from Always Available Bail Bonds LLC. We cover bail bonds in Allentown, PA, and throughout the state for defendants who have been charged with many different kinds of crimes.

If you don’t have the finances to post bail bonds, a bondsman can post surety for you. In most cases, all you have to do is pay 10% of the total bond amount. You don’t want to put yourself or your family through the stress of having to come up with the entire amount of the bond. When you work with a bail bondsman, you don’t have to worry about that. Calling a bail bondsman ensures that you have someone on your side that knows the process and is accustomed to working with different kinds of circumstances.

Also, bail bondsmen help families and friends locate the defendant if he or she should get arrested. They let loved ones know about the situation such as the arrested person’s whereabouts, how much the bail bond is, and when the court date is. A professional and reputable bail bondsman also strives to reduce the jail-holding time and to get the process moving as quickly as possible.