Every American citizen who is arrested for allegedly committing a criminal offense is entitled to post bail in order to obtain temporary freedom while his/her case is still in court. The volume of arrests that happen everyday anywhere in the US has made the bail bond industry grow into a $2.3 billion industry that it is today.
Many people are too eager to avoid a jail cell when they get arrested, while some become too complacent once they are out with the help of a good bail bonds agency, they forget they need to follow certain bail conditions. These simple mistakes, even if they’re not done on purpose, can have a serious negative effect on your bail. Some of these blunders can even lead to revocation.
If you or someone you care about has recently been arrested, this article can help you avoid committing the most common mistakes that can cause harm to the your bail or bail bond.
In case you missed it, your posting of bail doesn’t get you off the hook of the law even if it gets you out of jail. The bail only gives you temporary liberty until the court pronounces you guilty and reads your sentence, or innocent. So to avoid getting your bail canceled, you must by all means avoid making these mistakes:
1. Using an Unlicensed Bondsman
Only licensed bail bondsmen are authorized to post bail bonds on behalf of defendants. If you happen to work with someone without a license, your application for bail won’t be honored but your money will be gone with the poser.
When choosing a bail bondsman, you must ask for their license number to make sure that they are authorized to transact with the court on your behalf.
2. Giving the Wrong Address and Other Incorrect Information on the Bail Application
It’s usually the bail bond agent who fills out the bond application, but you are the source of the information that he reflects on the form. The bond application is a legal form and you must furnish the correct information because giving a wrong or misleading one such as a wrong address can trigger bond revocation and possibly cause damage to your case. To avoid any undesirable consequence, you must at all times supply your correct address and other information on your application for bail.
3. Traveling While You’re Out on Bail
When a court approves your application for bail, it will always inform you of any and all restrictions and conditions of bail, including a possible travel ban. Although there are instances when the court allows you to travel before your court date. If it is a condition given to you, you must inform your bail bond company if you plan to leave town.
4. Getting Arrested While You’re Out on Bail
One of the most important conditions of bail is you must avoid breaking the law and show good behavior. But once your bail is approved and you’re doing illegal activities again, the court can cancel your bail, have you rearrested and make you stay in jail to wait for your court date.
5. You Fail to show Up on Your Court Date
The court approves your application for bail on condition that you must show up for your court date. If you fail to keep up with this commitment, the court will forfeit your bail and lose the judge’s trust. With your bail bond forfeited, you should be able to guess what will happen next.
6. You Upset Your Co-Signer
Your co-signer is the person who helped you pay for your bill. You should be good to your co-signer at all times because if your co-signer backs out from that role and withdraw their payment as co-signer, the court can take you back into custody. Although this situation is unlikely, still you must avoid pissing off your co-signer because it can happen.
7. You Fail to Settle Your Payables Before the Deadline
When applying for bail bond, you are also making a commitment to your bail bond agency to pay the bail amount on or before the deadline. With that said, you must read the terms of your contract with the bail bond agency as to when the bail money and associated fees have to be paid.
As a professional bail bonds Colorado agency, it is our responsibility to see to it that your application for bail is accomplished accomplished with all the correct information. It is also our duty and obligation to make you understand the bail conditions and tell you that any violation of the same can lead to the revocation of your bail.
Getting arrested is the least of the things we want to happen. But when it does, you must always keep in mind that you have the right to post bail in order to obtain temporary liberty.
A good Bail Bonds agency is open 24/7 and always ready to help.