Bail: How Does It Work?
If you or a loved one needs to make bail, you probably have questions about the process. Here are a few tips to help you move forward.
After you have been arrested, you will be booked into jail, where you will wait until your first time seeing a judge. This initial appearance is called an arraignment. At the arraignment, you will be told the charges against you. The judge will set a bond amount that you must post to leave jail and return home to your family. Sometimes, the judge will release you on an “Own Recognizance” Bond, meaning you do not have to post any money as bail but must promise to return to court on a date set by the judge.
If the judge sets a money bond as bail, you will stay in jail unless you can raise money or assets to pay the amount of the bond. Depending on the amount, you may not be able to pay all of it. Many people seek the help of a bail bondsman, who will evaluate your situation and consider whether to make your bail. You should be aware, however, that if you pay a bail bondsman more than $500 (even if someone else pays it for you), you may not be eligible for a court-appointed attorney.
Bail bondsmen look at any failures to appear for court, history of the current arrest, and more in determining whether to bail you out. Often bail bondsman permit co-signers to the bond. People with outstanding warrants who want to turn themselves in and try to make bail should speak to a bail bondsman about the process in Oklahoma. Ask them about participating in a “walk-through”.
If the bail bondsman you speak with determines that you meet their requirements, and you pay all or part of an up-front premium, the bail bondsman will make bail for you. Shortly afterward you should be able to leave the jail. Seek out the help of a qualified attorney after you leave jail.
Charged with a DUI and released on bail? Seek out a DUI attorney with the know-how to tackle your case the right way from the start. Clint Patterson, Esq., of Patterson Law Firm, a former Tulsa prosecutor, now teaches other attorneys and law enforcement about sobriety testing techniques and defends Oklahoma drivers charged with DUIs. To schedule a case evaluation, visit Patterson Law Firm online or call Clint’s office at (918) 550-9175.