Bail bonds can be expensive. We charge 10%, that’s the lowest allowable fee, by law. Still, that 10% can be more than a normal person can pay. We can take installment payments, but in bad situations, a client may not be able to manage a monthly bill. Our fee is not the end of the financial problems that arise from being held in jail and unable to afford bail; it is only the beginning.

Let’s take a look at legal fees for a moment. Some lawyers will charge a set amount for talking to you in the first place. That could be as low as a couple of hundred dollars, or up into thousands. On top of that, they charge hourly fees for their time, and their paralegal’s work, too.

When a suspect can’t afford the initial amount the court set for bail, their lawyer can file a bail motion later in the pre-trial process, and formally request that the bail bond cost be lowered for extenuating circumstances. The motion may not be successful, or the new amount may still be out of the individual’s reach.

Crafting a bond motion takes the lawyer’s time. His time always equals money. Suppose he charges $250 an hour for his time, and it takes him two hours to build the case for the motion. He hands his notes to his paralegal, and it takes her an hour to type up the material. For the sake of argument, the lawyer’s office charges $100 for a paralegal’s time. That’s $600, but it doesn’t end there.

(Did you know they might also charge their hourly fee for phone calls and emails?)

The lawyer takes the bond motion before the judge. How long does that take? Another hour or two? Add another $250 to $500 to that original $600. Already, extra money has been added to the individual’s bill, beyond the initial consultation fee.

Dollar signs mount, and the money missing from family funds starts to be felt in a big way.

When someone is living from paycheck to paycheck, or is the only member of the household who has a job, his or her family suffers the instant they can’t work. There may not be any savings to rely on, and that most recent paycheck disappears very quickly, because people need food on the table. Worse than that, an employer (depending on company rules, or local laws) can fire someone for absence from work, while that individual is being held in jail…unable to afford bail in order to be at work in the first place.

Like the NYT article says:

“Bail conditions are not supposed to be punitive. They are supposed to impose as little restriction as is needed to reasonably ensure that a defendant appears in court.” That is the spirit of the legal system,  but local laws may specify the bail amounts for certain crimes. Those bail conditions could be punitive, depending on the financial situation of the suspect, and the amount of money involved.

The legal world is debating situations where this is the case. We don’t know where the decisions will fall in this discussion, but we hope for an outcome that doesn’t penalize an offender. Fixing the problem might require an overhaul of the legal system as we know it, and that could take a very long time. What we do know is that people should make their voices heard.

Speak to your local government representatives and let them know how punitive bail conditions make you feel. Tell them you believe this hurts innocent family members, and increases the likelihood of more problems in your community. Enough people voicing their opinions can make it clear to elected officials that something needs to be done.

We may never be able to sufficiently impact what lawyers charge for their services, but we can choose legal representation that is more affordable when we have the opportunity. The choice of a lawyer, and the choice of a bail bondsman, who can work with you in your financial situation are vital to the due process of law that you are guaranteed.

Make good choices, and make them informed, with your eyes open.

I just found another excellent source for information about bond motions. Check it out!

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Bail Bond Collateral

When someone is arrested for a suspected criminal offense, he or she will come before a magistrate (in the Virginia legal system) for a bail hearing. If the magistrate decides that it is reasonable to release the accused on bail, it is incumbent on the accused to produce the sum of money to obtain the bond.

Whether it is the accused or a family member, they have a number of choices to produce collateral on this kind of guarantee.

These methods include:

1. Surety Bonds-in this case, the family agrees to pay 10% of the bail cost to the bondsman, who will provide the full sum to the court. If the accused flees, rather than appear for trial, the party who acquired the bail must pay back the entire sum to the bondsman.
2. Property Bond-the guarantors of the bail put up their property, land or home, as collateral. A lien is placed on that property; if the accused does not appear for trial, the court may order the property to be foreclosed.
3. Home-this is when they offer their home for payment purposes. Normally, the court will require that the property value have 150% equity. The home will be sold to pay the bail. This can take weeks to process.
4. Land-the client’s land is offered to the court, which sells it in order to cover the cost of bail.
5. Bank accounts-the individual or family turns over all or part of their bank account balance to cover the bail.
6. Car-this works just like houses and land. If the accused doesn’t come to court, the car is sold. In some cases, the value of the car won’t meet the full bail costs.
7. Jewelry-the party offers their jewelry for appraisal, and it is handed over to the court for sale to secure the bond.
8. Firearms-just like jewelry, if they’re in good condition.
9. Items that can be pawned-this includes any items that can raise the funds by being pawned.
10. Cash-the guarantor pays the full amount in cash, or when the court will accept it, credit cards or checks. This ties up family or personal funds until the accused appears for their court date. If that person flees, all the money is lost.

Chances Bail Bonds specializes in surety bonds for our clients. We charge the lowest amount allowable by law, and are available 24/7. Our mission is to treat our clients with respect and compassion. Please consider us if you or a family member is being held pending bail.

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Turn the tables.

The best way to show people that we are legitimate business owners is to reflect that identity in how we represent ourselves. Look like a professional, and act like one. That’s the first step.

We are thought of as men and women who are out to milk frightened people of money. That is another stereotype we need to put to bed. That is where the second step comes in.

The second step is to reflect, in every client interaction we have, what our goals are. Bail bonds are a community service, and we need to show people that.

You’re going to ask me “How in the world are you providing a community service?”

We do these things:

1. Bring families together
2. Give defendants time to make their case
3. Help scared people by showing them they are not alone
4. By being available 24/7 in a time of crisis
5. Supporting the justice system
6. Most importantly, we provide advice and the chance for all those things to happen

Not convinced?

Look at it this way…Every family contributes to their neighborhood just by being present. Every neighborhood contributes to the local community. There’s a chain here. Goodness climbs that chain, and so does fear.

Help relieve fear in one family, and you positively affect that neighborhood. That pressure is relieved all the way up the chain. That is how bail bonds are a community service.

These are the things we believe in at Chances Bail Bonds. Give us a chance to show you.

Merry Christmas from all of us!

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Getting arrested is stressful, and it is very difficult to keep a clear head and be aware of what will happen next. There is a definite process at work that you need to keep in mind.

After being arrested in Virginia for a criminal activity they will read your Miranda Rights, then you will be taken to the station to be booked. They will collect your personal items, fingerprint you, photograph you, and process you into the system.

Then you will be brought before a magistrate. Based on the crime that you are accused of, the magistrate will schedule and set bail.

Generally 72 hours after appearing before the magistrate, you will be arraigned before a district judge. The judge will read the charge and you are formally asked to enter a plea. There are three plea options you can choose: guilty; not guilty; or no contest. Most people do not admit to guilt at this point.

This also functions as your bail hearing. You will be asked to present good reasons why you should be allowed to be released from jail until your other hearings take place. Assuming you make a good case for being released on your own recognizance (taking responsibility to show up for your court case), you will be allowed to contact a bail bondsman from jail.

This is where Chances Bail Bonds comes in. You contact us, and we take things from there. We will post your bond, and you will be released until the next step in the Virginia criminal law process takes place.

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comes to having your friend or relative release from Jail. Because we understand how tough and inconvenient

times can be, below we have listed a few helpful tips and advice you should gather before making bail bond arrangements.

* Make sure you have the full legal name and Date of Birth for the person arrested

* Gather the nature and the reasons behind why your loved one may have been arrested

* If possible knowing the arrested individual”s criminal history is helpful (probation,parole,previous arrest,protective orders etc)

* Ties to the community. How long has the individual arrested been in the immediate area

* Citizenship Status immigration alone is a difficult hurdle when trying to be release from jail

*Child Support obligations (if arrested for child support cash bonds are set most of the time)

If arrested in Fairfax County inmates are generally taken to the location shown below. The courthouse is next door to the detention center. The Magistrates office is located there also. If you would like to bail a friend or relative out of jail give us a call and we would love to help you thru the Bail Bond process! (703) 591-2245 or (877) 787-3380 Fast, Quick, and Affordable

The post How to Post a Bail Bond in Fairfax,Virginia Am or PM appeared first on Chances Bail Bonds.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/courts/magistrate.htm

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/sheriff/adc.htm

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Arraignments are held daily in most jurisdictions throughout Virginia. Arraignments consist of defendants who are held without bail and those who for some reason were not able to make bail the night prior. At arraignment court the judge let’s the defendant know what he or she has been formally charge with,and the defendant’s rights to an attorney. The judge also sets a preliminary hearing date. If you have a loved one going up for an arraignment and are looking to secure bail. Please feel free to contact us 24/7 we will be glad to help you anywhere in Virginia and nationwide 1 877 787-3380.

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