Bail bonds and the bail bond process stays pretty consistent with the processes established.
When it comes to common arrests for petty crimes, the bail bonds process will only really vary based on the location of the arrest. While the actual bail bonds process remains the same, wait times for release will vary, depending on if the arrestee is being held at a local city jail within a police station or has been transferred to a county jail. Wait times can also vary based on how busy the particular police station or jail is and how the staff is being utilized that particular day.
For the most part, bail cost and other details will remain constant. But there are instances throughout the state where the bail process will differ in ways that aren’t contingent on the particular location of arrest. Here are 4 different bail forms that vary slightly depending on the actual crime a suspect is charged with and the nature of their citizenship.
Cash Bonds
A cash bond is used in a situation when a defendant, friend, or family member requests to simply pay cash for their bail. Once the defendant completes the required probationary terms of their arrest, and shows up to all their court hearings, the money is returned in whole. This is not a recommended option because bail is usually thousands of dollars. This type of cash can be saved for more important or immediate needs; rather than using it to obtain a release from jail. This type of bond has been a popular choice for elite persons, celebrities, professional athletes, and other exclusive groups.
Surety Bonds
Surety bonds are another popular choice when it comes to obtaining a release from jail following an arrest. Surety bonds work like this: once a person is arrested and taken into custody, another person or themselves can contact a professional indemnitor, such as a bail bondsman, to assist in the bail process. These types of bail bonds usually include some form of collateral for the required bail amount. This is because the person being released on bail will most likely have ongoing court stipulations, such as drug testing and counseling, that must be completed or the indemnitor takes on the responsibility of the entire bail amount. So the personal signing for the bail bond will most likely have to pay a non-refundable fee (a percentage of the full bail amount) as the collateral. This form of bail bond is most popular among the general population.
Federal Bonds
These bonds are not as common as the ones mentioned above. This is because they are only used in the case of a federal crime. Crimes such as these include embezzlement, tax evasion, kidnapping, bank robbery, aircraft hi-jacking, counterfeiting, and more. These bonds, for good reason, are more expensive than the other common forms of bail bonds. Using a reputable and experienced bail bondsman for federal bonds is very beneficial and can make a big difference in a person’s bonding process.
Immigration Bonds
Immigration bonds sound self-explanatory. They are a little more complicated than the average person would think. They are extremely complicated because they are for crimes that involve foreign nationals and non-us citizens. They are expensive, just like federal bonds, because they require a bail bondsman to take on a great deal of risk. For examples, a person that is a citizen of Canada can commit a crime in the United States, then flee back to Canada once out on bail; leaving the bail bond agency responsible for the full bond (which can range from thousands to millions of dollars) because the defendant is not here to serve for their crimes.