Posts tagged with "bail bonds West Chester PA"

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.

After nearly 200 years, the most valuable bail bond law to date was instituted by the U.S. Congress in the form of the Bail Reform Act of 1966, which stated that a defendant facing trial for a non-capital offense should be released “on his personal recognizance” or a personal bond. However, if the court had reason to believe the defendant would leave town, the judge could choose a more restrictive alternative like limiting the defendant’s travel and executing an appearance bond to be refunded when the defendant appeared in court.

While individual states had their own rules, most of them added guidelines similar to the Bail Reform Act of 1966. At that time flaws in the act were also pointed out, for example, the defendant’s potential risk to the community for non-capital offenses. This became an issue when defendants released for non-capital offenses committed more crimes while they were out on bail. So a revision was made by The District of Columbia Court Reform and Criminal Procedure Act of 1970, which enabled judges to consider the dangerousness to the community as well as the flight risk when setting bail for non-capital cases.

At a later time, the federal justice system added the “safety of the community” as a factor to be considered when imposing bail, and thus the Bail Reform Act of 1984 was passed. This newer version added guidelines stating that a person can be detained without bail if he or she:

• Poses a risk to the community.
• Intimidates jurors or witnesses, and obstructs justice while out on bail.
• Commits a violent crime, an offense carrying a death penalty or life in prison, or committing any felony while already having a serious criminal record.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.