Needing to post bail can be a stressful experience, to say the least. However, it is becoming a lot more straightforward, and this is thanks to the ability to post bail online. No matter the time of day, with 24-hour online bail bonds, it is now possible to get the help that you need, when you need it. With that being said, below, we are going to reveal everything you need to know about how to post bail online.
What is bail?
Before we take a look at our 24-hour online bail bonds in further detail, we will first provide you with a bit of background information.
Bail is the term that is used to describe a set amount of money that acts as insurance between the court and the defendant (the person in jail). The defendant has the option of paying their bail in cash. However, most are not in the position to do this.
As bail tends to be set at a high amount, the majority of defendants are not in a position financially to post bail on their own. Instead, they seek assistance from a bail bondsman or a bail agent who will post the bail for them.
Understanding bail bonds
A bail bond is a type of surety bond that a surety bond business will provide via a bail bondsman or bail against, which secures the defendant’s release from jail. There are two sorts of bail bonds, which are as follows:
- A civil bail bond - This type of bond is used in civil cases, and it guarantees the debt’s payment, as well as the costs and interest, assessed against the defendant.
- A criminal bail bond - This sort of bond is utilized in a criminal case, and it will guarantee that the defendant is going to appear on trial when the court calls upon them, and it guarantees payments for any penalties or fines that are decided against the defendant.
How do bail bonds work?
When the judge sets bail, if the defendant is not able to make the payment themselves, they are able to get some assistance from a bail bondsman, and this help is known as a bail bond.
In order to post a bail bond, the defendant or one of their loved ones will need to pay an amount upfront, and this is 10 percent of the full bond amount.
The bail bondsman will then use collateral to secure the remainder of the bail amount. Should the defendant not have enough collateral, the bail bondsman may look to friends and relatives for help in covering the bail.
In some cases, an extra cash payment and the full collateral are needed for a bail bond to be posted.
What occurs next is going to depend on whether or not the defendant turns up in court once he or she has been released.
If the defendant does appear in court, the bail bond will be dissolved, and the collateral will go back to the individual who posted it, to begin with. However, the bail bondsman will keep the initial cash fee as profit.
Should the defendant not turn up for court, the bail bond will be forfeited, which means the court keeps the remaining 90 percent of the bail that is to be paid. The bail bondsman will use the collateral from the defendant and/or loved ones, to pay the leftover bail amount of the court.
Making an application for a bail bond
Luckily, today, it is a lot more convenient to apply for a bail bond than it was in the past. This is because the entire process can be handled online. All you need to do is fill out an online application form and provide the documentation that is required. The company in question will then get back to you, either to confirm the bail bond or to ask for more information. Luckily, it is a lot more straightforward today.
In the past, you would need to wait for the bail bond agent to physically post the bail, which would set back detained suspects. For instance, if the individual was arrested late at night or over the weekends, working with a bail bonds business that only offers physical processes is going to be hugely inconvenient to you.
Furthermore, you may find that you need to spend more time in detention. This is time that could have been used to prepare for trial and enjoy your freedom. This is why it makes sense to post bail online, and this is a service that we are delighted to offer here at 24 Hour Online Bail Bonds. We make sure that you are able to get the bail that you need to be posted as soon as possible.
So, how do you get a bail bond? There are three main parts that you can expect when you apply for a bail bond, so let’s take a look at them below:
1. Fill out the bail bond application
The first thing that you need to do is fill out the application. This is something that a loved one will do on behalf of the defendant. Information that is typically required includes the likes of your booking number, the jail you are in, your full name, and the charges that are against you, as well as some other details. We will explain more about our online application forms in the next section.
2. Pay the agent
You are going to need to pay a percentage of the full cost in cash. This is required as a fee to the bail bondsman for the service they are providing you with. No matter what happens in the courtroom, either whether the defendant turns up or skips bail, this percentage will be kept by the bail bondsman. After all, they are not going to post bail for no reason; you do have to pay for a service like this.
3. Collateral is usually not needed
The third part of the process is to provide the collateral that is needed, most cases do not require collateral. If the defendant is not able to provide collateral, a loved one will need to do this. This is to cover the rest of the loan. This could be property, vehicles, or any other type of valuable possessions.
Our online bail bond application form
You can complete our online bail bond application form for the quickest and easiest way to post bail online. There are a number of questions you will need to answer. Firstly, we will start off by asking for some general information, such as the name of the person in jail and the location of the jail. We will also need to know your name and the relationship that you have with the defendant, i.e. wife, father, mother, co-worker, and so on.
We will also need to know the bail amount, or at least, an estimation. We’ll also want to know about the defendant’s employment. We’ll ask you to check any of the boxes that apply to you from the following:
- You have pending court cases
- You are on probation
- You own your home
- You are employed
- You are out on bond yourself
- You are on parole
- You own a vehicle
- You are a U.S. citizen
This helps us to determine whether or not you are going to be eligible for a bail bond. We’ll want to know a bit more about your employment, how long you have worked there, your current address, and also your social security number.
If you do own a vehicle, we will ask you to give us some details, including the number plate, color, make, model, and year of the vehicle.
Also, please make sure that you have your passport or driver’s license ready, as we will need this to verify your identity.
We’ll ask you to check any of the boxes that apply to the defendant from the following:
- The Defendant is homeless
- The Defendant is on parole
- The Defendant is a minor
- The Defendant is employed
- The Defendant is on probation
- The Defendant owns a house
- The Defendant has prior arrests
- The Defendant is a U.S. citizen
Again, these checkboxes are not to be intrusive but rather to find out whether or not the defendant is going to be a suitable candidate for bail.
You will need to gather three references for the defendant as well. This could be co-workers, friends, or family. We will need their full name, address, phone number, and their occupation.
Not only do we need documents that provide your ID but we also need proof of address, as well as income documentation. The latter is simply required for payment plans. We will need a screenshot or picture of unemployment statements, pay statements, or a recent paystub. If you are self-employed, business information documents or bank statements will be needed.
Finally, don’t forget you will need to pay an amount today, so do let us know how much you can afford. Once you have done this, with a picture of the card that you are going to use, all you will need to do is read our Privacy Disclosure and then hit the Submit button.
You can also post bail by contacting one of our friendly agents
We have worked hard to make sure that the process of posting bail is as easy as possible. You can get in touch with one of our friendly agents to ask any questions you have or to begin the process. We will advise you on the route that makes the most sense while the release process begins. We will need you to fill out the form mentioned above to get started, though, but if you have any sort of queries or you need help filling out the forms, all you need to do is get in touch with our team and we will be happy to assist you in any manner that we can.
Once you have done this, our experienced and friendly agents will find the repayment plan that makes the most sense for you. We will be open to discussing different payment plans that are within your budget, presenting you with easy and fast payment options so that you can get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.
Finally, the bond or bail process is concluded, and your loved one will be released. For all of the steps that we have mentioned above, it should only take a few hours. Our agents are skilled and competent and they realize just how important it is to make sure that bail is posted as quickly as possible.
Our low rates and discounts will not be beaten
When you are looking for a bail bondsman, you certainly want to make sure that you choose someone who is experienced and reliable. We tick those boxes, and we have ensured the application is easy. If that was not enough, we are sure that you will struggle to find better rates than ours. Our prices are highly competitive and cover the typical 10 percent fee that all bail bond businesses are required to charge by law.
We also offer a number of discounts as well. This includes retained lawyer discounts, homeowner discounts, AARP discounts, union member discounts, and discounts for law enforcement officers, military, and teachers.
Final words about online bail bonds
So there you have it: the full guide to online bail bonds. We hope that this has given you a better understanding of how 24-hour online bail bonds work and how you can go about posting bail online. If this is something you want to get started with, you can complete our online bail bond application. There are about 30 quick questions, and you can always give us a call if you have any queries about the application process or our online bail bonds.