Being arrested and charged with a crime can be bad enough on its own, but to make matters even worse, a court is likely to require a person to pay a certain amount of money before they can get out of jail. Bail is meant to make sure a person will follow the court’s requirements, show up for future hearings or other court proceedings, and remain in the area during their criminal case. The amount of bail can be high, because a court will want to prevent a person from fleeing in order to avoid prosecution. Fortunately, bail bonds are available to help a person or their loved ones pay these amounts. Those who will be paying for a bail bond will want to understand the factors that may lead to larger amounts of bail.

Issues That May Lead to Higher Bail Amounts

When setting bail, a judge may consider a number of different factors that are relevant to a case, including:

• Bail schedules - Some courts have adopted standard bail amounts that apply for certain offenses. This may simplify the process of setting bail in some cases, although it will not consider unique factors that may play a role in a certain situation. In Texas, a judge is required to consider a person’s ability to pay bail, and a person with limited financial resources may be able to show that the standard amount of bail would not be appropriate in their case.

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People who have been arrested will often struggle to determine how they can get released. When a judge sets a high amount of bail, a person and their family may be unsure about how they will be able to pay this amount. While a bail bondsman can provide assistance and pay bail on behalf of a person, the cost of a bail bond is usually 10 percent of the total amount of bail. For high amounts of bail or for those who do not have significant financial resources, even coming up with 10 percent may be difficult. In some cases, people may turn to charitable organizations for help, but due to recent law changes in Texas, they may be unsure about whether this will be an option.

Texas Law and Charitable Bail Organizations

The Texas legislature passed a bail reform bill in 2021 that affected many people who are arrested and who are seeking a release from police custody. Originally, the bill that was proposed by the Texas Senate sought to limit the cases where bail funds or other “charitable bail organizations” could post bail on people’s behalf. However, the final version of the bill removed these restrictions, and people can generally receive assistance from these organizations when needed.

The law detailed the requirements that organizations will need to meet to be able to accept public donations and use the money raised to post bail on behalf of defendants. These include:

If you or someone you love have been arrested and charged with a crime, you may be unsure of what will happen next. The criminal justice system can be complicated and confusing, and in most cases, the first step a person will need to take is to determine how they can get out of jail. This is usually done by posting bail, but as you may know, new laws have been passed recently, and the rules followed when setting and paying bail have changed. Fortunately, you can get released by obtaining a bail bond. The bail agents at Doc’s Bail Bonds can explain the rules that apply to you and the procedures that will be followed in your case.

Bail Reform Laws and Changes to Policies

In 2021, Texas passed a new law that requires cash bail for people who have been arrested and charged with violent crimes. Judges will also be required to consider a person’s criminal history when setting bail, and even if a person is charged with a misdemeanor or a lower-level offense, they may need to pay high amounts of bail if they had previously been convicted of a violent crime. This law went into effect on December 2, 2021.

Authorities in Harris County have also recently made some changes to how bail bonds are handled for certain types of crimes. Court officials had become concerned that some bail agents were posting bail on behalf of offenders at discounted rates, allowing some people to be released without paying a significant percentage of the amount of bail set by a judge. The Harris County Bail Bond Board passed a new regulation that will require bail bondsmen to charge a 10 percent fee for people charged with violent or sexual offenses, including murder, sexual assault, child abuse or neglect, aggravated assault, or violation of an order of protection. 

Few things can be as worrying as learning that a loved one has been arrested and may face criminal charges. In many cases, a person who is accused of committing a crime will be placed in a difficult and intimidating situation, with limited ability to contact others or determine how they can be released. A person may also need to deal with interrogations or threats that they will face serious charges if they do not cooperate with police officers. In these situations, family members will often want to help their loved one get released quickly so they can determine how to defend against criminal charges. By understanding the options for receiving a bail bond, a family member can make sure they take the correct steps to help a person get out of jail as soon as possible.

Steps to Follow After an Arrest

The first thing a family member will need to do is to determine where a person is being held. After being arrested, a person may be taken to a police station, or they may be booked into a local jail or detention facility. If necessary, a bail bondsman from Doc’s Bail Bonds can help perform an inmate search to locate a person and determine their current status.

After determining where a person is being held, a family member will want to obtain as much information about their case as possible. This information may include the person’s booking number at a jail or detention facility, the specific charges they are facing, the amount of bail set by a judge, and any other restrictions that a person will apply to a person after they are released from custody. With this information, a bail bondsman can make sure the correct steps will be followed to post bail and ensure that the person can get out of jail. Our bail agents can help gather this information and determine whether there are any other important details that will need to be addressed.

Watching a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or other loved one be arrested and placed in the back of a police vehicle is a terrifying experience to go through. You may not know what is going on or what to expect next. Many people are unfamiliar with the criminal justice system, so they are left completely bewildered and unsure of how to respond when a partner is arrested. To add to the stress of the situation, many people in this circumstance cannot afford to bail their loved one out of jail. If this describes you, do not lose hope. You may be able to secure a bail bond and get your loved one out of police custody.

How Does Bail Work?

When someone is arrested for drunk driving, drug possession, or another offense, they are taken into police custody. The individual may be released in exchange for a monetary deposit called bail. The court holds the deposit and uses it as collateral. In theory, bail encourages the criminal defendant to show up for his or her court date. The court holds the bail money until the criminal proceedings are complete. If a defendant cannot pay bail, he or she may need to stay in police custody until his or her court date. This can be extremely difficult for individuals with jobs, family obligations, and other responsibilities. Unfortunately, bail is often prohibitively expensive. Most people do not have tens of thousands of dollars lying around. People in this situation may be able to secure a bail bond to pay bail and get their loved one out of jail.

A Bail Bond is Used to Pay Bail and Get a Defendant Out of Jail

People who cannot pay the full bail amount may be able to secure bail through a bail bondsman or agent. The bail bondsman posts bail on your behalf and you pay a fee, usually 10 percent of the total bail amount. For example, if the bail is $15,000, you would pay the bail bondsmen $1,500. Many people are able to use their own savings, loans from friends and family, and other financial resources to post bail when they go through bail bondsmen. At Doc’s Bail Bonds, we also offer affordable and flexible financing plans.