If you've been incarcerated because of criminal charges and your bail is high, you may still be able to pay for your release. When you can't come up with the full cash bail amount, you can work with a bail bonds company that will pay the court for your release. The fees for this service vary based on your bail amount, and the bond company is responsible for ensuring that you make it to your next court date.

The Cost of Working with a Bail Bonds Company

You have to pay bail to secure your release when there are concerns as to whether you will return to court or not. When a bond company writes a bond to the court to secure your release, you will pay the bond company approximately 10% of your bail amount to write this bond. The 10% is your payment to the bond company, and you do not receive this money back no matter how your case turns out.

If You Skip Court and You Were Release Because of a Bail Bond

If you skip court, the bail bonds company has to pay your entire bail to the court. This makes the bail bond company upset, and it also gives them the right to locate you, arrest you, and bring you back to court to be arraigned. It is never smart to skip your court date, and if you are wise you will go to court and face the charges that have been brought against you.

Other Ways to Secure Your Release While Awaiting Trial

You don't have to use a bail bonds company. If you have the full bail amount on hand, you can pay your own bail in cash. If you have property that can be used as collateral, you can secure your release that way too. Some bail bonds companies will also accept property as collateral in lieu of cash payments, as long as the property has enough value. If you don't have anything of value, a friend or family member can put up the collateral for you.

Once you are released from jail and you are waiting for your trial, it's critical to attend all of your court dates. Make sure that your attorney always has your contact information and keep your address current with the court system. You must attend court dates to avoid further punishments, which can include longer amounts of time spent in jail.

For more information about the bail bond process, contact a company like Bob Shropshire & Sons.