Being arrested is no fun, and because life is sometimes unpredictable, it’s possible for practically anyone to at one time or another find themselves arrested and in jail. When this happens, the number one thing everyone wants is to get out of jail as soon as possible. It can be a great comfort to find Jailbonds Keyser WV if you find yourself in unexpected trouble with the law. A good bail agent can post a jail bond for you and secure your release quickly, often within hours.
What is a jail bond? It’s a financial agreement that a bail agent such as Jailbonds Keyser WV makes on the behalf of the defendant with the court to secure his release. The defendant can pay the full cash amount of the jail bond himself (as can other family or friends) but it is generally much more affordable to simply make an arrangement with a bail agent. An officer of the court, generally a magistrate or a judge, determines the value of the bail. The person making arrangements with the bail bonding company pays a percentage of the jail bond, called a premium, (usually around 10 to 15 percent of the total bail amount) and agrees to pay the entire amount if the defendant fails to appear in court. This premium is the bail agent’s payment for being willing to pay the entire jail bond amount should you fail to appear, and is not refundable. Collateral is frequently required as security on the unpaid portion of the jail bond. Things bail agents will often take as collateral are cash, credit cards, real estate, cars, boats, jewelry, bonds, stock, etc.
In essence, posting a jail bond works much like insurance. The amount of bail that the court sets is influenced by such considerations as the character of the defendant, the seriousness of the crime, past offenses, and other factors that relate to the potential of flight risk. In instances where the defendant fails to appear, the bail agent may hire a bounty hunter to find the defendant and is entitled to the collateral that secured the jail bond. When the defendant makes his court appearances as scheduled the collateral is released.
