If you have watched a lot of law-related TV series or movies, you'll often hear that a person was bailed out or bonded out. These two terms don't mean the same thing. The former means that the defendant, family, or friends raised the bail amount and paid it. The latter means the defendant used a bail bondsman to pay the bail amount. If there are two options, which one should you choose? That depends on several factors, and they include the following.
Can You Raise the Bail Amount?
If you can raise the bail amount, it makes sense to pay it instead of using a bail bondsman. In some cases, if you're a low-level offender who doesn't pose a flight risk, the court can release you on a signature bond.
This means you don't have to raise bail money or use a 24/7 bail bonds company. Instead, you'll agree to appear in court on the specified dates and put it in writing. If you're not granted such options and can't raise the bail amount, you can use a bail bondsman.
Think About Your Job/Business
Spending a night in jail might sound easy, but that becomes a problem when it turns into days and weeks. You have a life outside the jail, and the longer you spend inside, the more life continues outside without you.
For example, your employer will likely fire and replace you after several days of truancy if you have a job. To avoid such problems, you can use a bail bondsman to bail you out immediately. With the help of a bail bond dealer, you can keep your job, attend court hearings, and continue with everyday life.
How Fast Can You Raise the Bail Amount?
Say you can raise the bail amount, but it will take a few days or even a week to get it all together. But can you wait that long? You have a job, business, school, bills, and other things you need to do. Can they wait that long?
In most cases, people fundraise from family and friends or liquidate some of their assets to raise the bail amount. It probably took years to accumulate some of these assets, and you're about to liquidate them to pay bail. What if there is another way to pay the bail? Instead of liquidating your assets, you can use a 24/7 bail bondsman to cover your bail. Once you're out, you can work towards paying the bail bonds company.