Keeping In Contact While Out On Bail

When you have been bailed out of jail, you must follow the rules. Bail conditions are in place to prevent defendants from getting in trouble while they await their court dates. To learn what you can do to maintain contact with your bail agent, read on.

Bail Bonds and Bail

Once you are offered bail, you have a choice to make. Paying the full bail amount will cost you a lot of money. You can pay the court the full bail or you can contact a bail bonding agent to find out how to be released using a bail bond. Bail bonds are available as an alternative to paying the full bail to the court. You can purchase a bail bond for a percentage of the full bail amount. While bail bonds are a less expensive way to get out of jail, you must still abide by the rules that come along with bail.

Bail Conditions

The main bail condition is to appear at your court hearings. However, the conditions vary with the crimes charged, criminal record, and more. The conditions are always printed on the bail paperwork that you receive when you are released and when you sign the papers at the bail agency. If you violate any bail condition, your bail may be revoked, and you could be back in jail.

Keeping in Touch

Some of those out on bail may be required to check in every week or so with a court official. You might consider it like checking in with a probation officer even though you have not yet been sentenced. Those with a history of skipping bail or charged with serious crimes may be asked to check in.

Many bail agencies also require clients to check in periodically. If the client fails to appear in court or gets arrested while out on bail, they could be responsible for paying the court the full amount of the bail. You might have heard of bail agencies that send people out to locate those who don't appear for their court dates.

Though not all bail agencies go to that length, all of them expect their client to obey the rules and appear in court. If you have been asked to phone in once a week or so, don't forget to do that. The bail agency has the power to revoke your bail if they have reason to believe that you are not following the rules.

To find out more, phone a local bail bond agent today.