When we think of bail, we tend to think of large sums of money set for high-profile individuals. However, that is not the only type of bail.
Most of the time, bail bonds West Chester, PA, are set for small or petty crimes. Bail is typically set lower than the average defendant’s in these cases.
Cash Bond
A Cash Bond is money paid to the jail or court system to guarantee that a defendant will appear for their trial. This type of bail is very simple and usually takes very little time to process.
Unlike a surety bond, a cash bond involves no other parties involved in posting the bond. Instead, the person who posts the bail pays 100% of the bond amount and then gets their cash back if they appear in court.
This form of bail is used in many situations, including when the judge considers a defendant a flight risk, or they have a prior record that might cause them to be incarcerated for longer than necessary. However, if the defendant does not appear in court or commits another crime, the entire amount is forfeited to the jail or court.
Property Bond
If you don’t have the cash to pay bail, the court might allow you to post a property bond. This type of bail bond requires you to provide evidence that you own and own equity in a piece of real estate.
This can be your home, a commercial property, or even a vacation property. A judge will review your documents and decide if the property is worth the amount you’re required to post as bail.
Property bonds are a great option for investors who want to invest in property projects without paying the costs of traditional bank loans. This is because they offer lower interest rates than other investments and are typically offered for longer terms, allowing investors to benefit from higher returns.
Immigration Bond
An Immigration Bond is used to release an immigrant from detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This bond ensures that the individual will appear for all court hearings and abide by ICE determines the bond’s amount based on the likelihood that the defendant won’t appear for court appearances. They will be freed, but the bail money may be lost if they fail to show up for their court date or break the terms of their release.
A family member or close friend who can vouch for their financial capacity to post the entire bond must be posting it. Additionally, they must finish all the paperwork that ICE needs to free the detainee.
Federal Bond
A federal bond is employed when a person is detained and accused of a crime first prosecuted in federal court. These cases frequently involve crimes committed across state boundaries, vandalism, damage, and different forms of deception.
The bail amount will be determined by a federal judge, who may also consider the defendant’s criminal history and other factors such as their flight risk or whether they are a danger to public safety.
In addition, Federal bonds may require additional conditions such as drug testing, travel restrictions, and pretrial monitoring. If the court learns that you have violated any of these conditions, it can revoke your bail and demand payment from the bail bond company.
Citation Release
Citation Release is used to keep defendants out of jail for low-level offenses. They are often issued for minor violations and traffic tickets and can reduce the crowding in jails.
When a person is released on a citation, they must promise to show up for their court date in exchange for their release. However, if they don’t show up or honor this promise, they can be arrested and put in custody for their charges.
The citation release process is usually only offered for minor offenses and first-time offenders. It is not always offered for every offense, so checking with a criminal defense attorney before signing the release is important. Those with outstanding warrants or threatening the community should not be released on a citation.
