After getting arrested, your emotions will likely be running high, and while this is certainly understandable, it’s important to keep your wits about you so you can get out of jail as soon as possible and begin putting together your defense.
To get out of jail, though, you’ll need to cover your bail. Bail amounts vary depending on the nature and severity of the case. You may have the necessary cash on hand to pay off the bail quickly, but if not, you may need to seek the services of a qualified bail bondsman.
A bondsman will take payments of a certain percentage of the total bail amount to post bond and get you out of jail. You’ll want to get this done as soon as possible so you can minimize the amount of time you have to spend in jail before your arraignment and release. Seek the services of a bondsman if paying off bail yourself simply isn’t possible, or would cause any undue financial hardship.
As for how you will pay off your bail bond, you will have a variety of options, including:
- Cash: Just about any business will be happy to accept cash payments, and bail bond services are no exception. Cash is easily verifiable and leaves no doubt as to your ability to pay.
- Check: Some bail bond services will accept personal checks, but that may vary depending on the nature of the arrest and crime and the amount of money you need to post. For larger amounts, you may need to get a certified check or cashier’s check to show the bail bond service they are getting their guaranteed money.
- Card: You can use debit or credit cards as payment for bail bonds. With the advancing technology of the internet, you may be able to make these payments from a secure web server so you can pay from anywhere and expedite the process. The person paying the bail amount may never actually have to go to the bail bondsman’s office!
- Wire transfers: Wire transfers are another popular method of transferring money digitally, directly from an account. Most bond services will allow you to use this method of payment.
- Money order: If you’re uncomfortable paying cash for your bail bond, you can instead use a money order to complete the transaction.
- Liens and bonds: If bail bond amounts start to get expensive, you can pay for the bond using real estate as collateral. This can be risky if the defendant is untrustworthy—if they jump their bail, you’ll lose that real estate, so if you have any reason to not trust the defendant, you might look to other options in such a case.
Interested in learning more about how bail bonds work and when and how to employ them? Contact an experienced bail bondsman today at Brazoria County Bail Bonds with any questions you have about the services we provide to people throughout Texas. We look forward to assisting you during a difficult and confusing time.