No one ever wants to be arrested for a crime, let alone for one they didn't commit. Facing that kind of situation is not easy for many people, and it's particularly troubling to be in a situation where you need bail bond companies. This is why it's essential to understand what bail bond companies are all about. Here are a few services that bail bond companies provide.

They Can Explain the Process

When you're first arrested for a crime, you begin to go through a formal booking process. Part of this process is getting a hearing before a judge who will determine the price at which your bail will be set. First-time offenders and those charged with minor misdemeanors generally receive the lowest bail amounts. Repeat offenders and those charged with more serious crimes often face stiffer bail amounts to get out.

They Can Post Your Bail

According to How Bail Bonds Work, although you'll get a 100% refund for a cash bail, this option is still too expensive for many people to pay out-of-pocket. For example, imagine that the judge sets your bail at $5,000. That's $5,000 in cash that must be presented to the court as a guarantee that you'll show up for your scheduled court date. If you cannot afford that amount, then you'll remain in jail until the court date or until the jail releases you based on its own space requirements. Therefore, you may need to come up with a bail amount to avoid spending many days, weeks, or even months in jail.

To help people make bail, a bail bond company can step in and provide the required amount of money necessary to get you out. However, they'll require a percentage of that money from you directly. They generally seek 10%, according to the Department of Financial Services. Therefore, from our example above, you'd pay the company $500, and they'd front you the $5,000 necessary to get out. The court holds onto that money as a guarantee that you'll show up to all of your court dates. As long as you do so, the bail bond company gets its money back. If you fail to make your appearances, you can be charged with additional crimes and your legal situation can worsen.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need bail bond companies, remember that these companies exist to help you. Give our experienced team a call at A to Z Bail Bonds for more information or assistance with the bail bonds process. We look forward to working with you.