A criminal arrest can be a scary experience, especially for those who have not previously been in that situation. People may be arrested for a variety of reasons, but generally, an arrest will only occur if police have a valid reason to believe a person committed a criminal offense (known as probable cause). After being taken into custody, a person will appear before a judge, where they will be informed of the official criminal charges against them, and the judge will set an amount of bail that they will need to pay in order to be released. This amount can be a shock for many people; depending on the seriousness of the offense and other factors, it may be several thousand dollars. Those who do not have the cash available to pay bail need to understand their options for getting released.
Affordable Bail Bond Options
While a person is in custody, they will usually need someone else to raise the money needed to pay bail. This will usually be a close family member such as a spouse, parent, or sibling, although friends may also be able to help. A person's attorney can often provide guidance in these matters as well. Generally, however, the best option for paying bail is to work with a bail bondsman. In these cases, a person will usually only need to gather around 10 percent of the amount the judge has required them to pay. Options for raising these funds may include:
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