In New York, criminal defendants must attend an arraignment after they are booked for a crime. During the arraignment, the judge determines if the defendant is eligible for bail. Defendants who are unable to pay the full amount of their bail get a bail bond to get released from the county jail. A local bail bondsmen in Kingston NY explains what criminal defendants can expect from the process.
Negotiating the Defendant’s Bail
Bail bondsmen attend the defendant’s arraignment and negotiate the defendant’s bail with the judge. If the defendant has no prior criminal records, it is possible for the bondsman to get a lower bail amount and improve the defendant’s chances of getting released.
Calculating the Cost of a Bail Bond
The standard fee for a bail bond ranges between ten and fourteen percent of the total bail amount. Bail bondsmen collect information about the defendant from the judge or through the defendant’s representative. To get a bail bond, the representative must pay the fee.
Payments or Collateral
Bail bondsmen accept a variety of payment options for bail bonds. Checks, cash, and credit card payments are the most common forms of payment. However, if the defendant doesn’t have the means to provide a direct payment, bail bondsmen accept collateral in lieu of a cash payment.
The collateral that is accepted by the bail bondmen includes deeds or titles to real properties, automobiles, or authorization to collect through a financial account. Jewelry that is of the same value as the total bail amount is also acceptable collateral for the bail bondsman.
Getting Defendants to Their Scheduled Court Date
Bail bondsmen offer a variety of services that are beneficial for criminal defendants. For example, if the defendant doesn’t have transportation, the bail bondsman might provide a ride to the scheduled court date.
In New York, criminal defendants receive a bail bond to get out of the county jail until their court date. All defendants must follow the terms of their release, or they face a new arrest. A failure to appear in court leads to the revocation of their bond and an immediate arrest warrant. Criminal defendants who want to acquire a bail bond contact us to speak to a bail bondsmen in Kingston NY right now.