Pay Your Own Bail or Hire a Bail Bonds Company?

Imprisonment isn’t fun for almost anyone. That goes doubly so for those behind bars without being convicted of any crime. In fact, “innocent until proven guilty” is one of the cornerstones of the United States legal system. Luckily, many defendants won’t have to spend their time waiting for a trial behind bars, thanks to the bail system. However, that begs the question: should you hire a bail bonds company or pay your bail? To help you make this complicated decision, let’s weigh the pros and cons of each option. After that, you should have all the information needed to make the right decision for you.

Is Your Bail Ammount Affordable?

When your pretrial judge sets a defendant’s bail amount, the goal is to prevent the defendant from skipping bail. Judges often set bail high to accomplish that goal. Courts return the entire bail amount once the defendant has met their required court appearances and trial dates. So, setting bail high usually works exceptionally well to deter people from skipping bail.

Unfortunately, the amount needed to act as a deterrent is often well above the average defendant’s pay grade. In other words, bail is usually so high that almost nobody can afford it. If you can provide your bail amount, you should pay your way. However, if you’re in the same boat as most pretrial defendants, you won’t be able to pay your way. Luckily, that is precisely why bail bonds companies like us here at ABC Bail Bonds exist: to help people pay bail without forcing themselves into the poorhouse.

If You Pay Your Bail, You are Responsible for Everything Else as Well

If you decide to pay your bail, remember that every other responsibility with doing so falls on your shoulders and your shoulders alone. While that may not seem like the biggest deal globally, remember that the bail and legal processes are exceedingly complicated and challenging to navigate. However, if you feel you’re up to the task, then have at it! Just remember that if your decision is final.

Using a Bail Bonds Company Like ABC Bail Bonds Helps Reduce Risk

Statistically speaking, using a bail bonds company (like us here at ABC Bail Bonds) helps reduce flight risk and the risk of further financial problems for the defendant. For example, if you were to pay the entirety of your bail on your own and miss a court date for whatever reason, then you’re out all that money. If you went through an ABC Bail Bonds bail bondsman instead, you’d wind up in contempt of court, but you’d only be out the 10% fee.

Conclusions

If you can afford your bail and handle the additional responsibilities, then do so. However, suppose you’re like so many other people. In that case, your best bet is a bail bondsman from a reputable bail bonds company. And, as luck would have it, here at ABC Bail Bonds, we pride ourselves on offering fast, affordable, and reliable bail bonds services to defendants throughout the area. So, if you or a loved one is sitting behind bars awaiting a trial, please contact us to get the bail process started today!

If you’re looking for a bail solution outside of California, we recommend the services of Bad Boys Bail Bonds. As a leader in San Jose Bail Bonds, the Bad Boys have gained the trust of their community and California at large for fair service.

Learn more about our bail bond services in the following cities:

Leave us a review or learn more about our bail bond services at the following locations: