A brief outline of the process of obtaining bail
Soon after the arrest of a person on some criminal charges, there are high chances of sending the person to jail while waiting for the court appearance. And this is the last thing that anyone wants no matter how brief the jail term might be. The arrested person can stay away from jail by posting bail which is nothing but providing security in the form of cash or some property in exchange of which you can avoid spending time in jail by securing your release.
Although the process might seem simple, it needs a proper understanding of the various steps right from the time of the arrest to release to enable individuals to arrange for bail which could often involve a bail bonding company like Castle Bail Bonds Columbus Ohio.
Booking
The first thing that happens after an arrest is that the police book the person by taking him or her in their custody. The police record the case in details which in legal parlance is called booking. The process consists of recording the name, address, and other personal details, including physical characteristics and date of birth together with information about the alleged crime and conducting background checks for any criminal history. Taking photographs and fingerprints and confiscating all personal belongings of the arrested person is all part of the process. Finally, the person lands in a police station or jail while awaiting a court appearance.
Arraignment
This step follows the booking, and the person hears the charges read out to him or her while getting an opportunity to arrange for release. If booked for a minor offense the person might seek release by providing a citation with a promise to appear in court sometime later and released on his or her own recognizance or else must go through the bail and bond procedure. However, it is up to the judge to decide what should be applicable by considering a few factors like the seriousness of the crime, the person’s criminal record, the extent of the danger posed by the person to the community and the chances of the person fleeing.
Failing to appear in court after securing release on your own recognizance will lead to an arrest warrant.
What is the bail?
A bail is a form of financial guarantee to the court that the arrested person will appear in court for all scheduled criminal proceedings. It consists of paying a sum of money to obtain release from jail or police custody. On showing up in the court, the person receives a refund of the bail amount but failing to appear in court leads to arrest and forfeiture of the bail amount. A court hearing is necessary to decide whether to grant bail because the court has the right to deny it too.
Posting Bail
On securing bail, you must pay or post the bail amount or a certain percentage as specified by the court. Payment by cash or cashier’s check or money order is acceptable under ip camera. If the bail amount is too large, you can seek help from a bail bonding company to arrange for it.
On receipt of the payment, the court issues a release order.