Can You Get a Bail Bond For a Traffic Violation?
Bail Bond For a Traffic Violation
A bail bond is a contract that guarantees the court that you will appear for your arraignment and other appearances after your arraignment until the case is resolved. A reputable bail bond company will charge you a fee to post this bond, and they will often require some kind of collateral to be posted as well. These companies are often found in the yellow pages and online. Bail is generally higher for federal crimes, where additional fees and collateral are often required.
In some countries, such as the United States, bail is used to allow accused people to avoid jail time while awaiting trial for minor offenses like traffic violations or misdemeanors. The accused person is allowed to go home on bail, and if they attend all of their court appearances, they will be allowed to leave from the courthouse without being sent to prison for the offense. The amount of the bail is usually decided by the judge at arraignment.
Some offenses have no reviews for bail bonds at all, such as a first-time driving under the influence (DUI) offence. However, many violations have a certain amount that must be posted before the accused person can be released from custody. This is called a “signature bond,” and it typically includes a dollar amount that the defendant agrees to forfeit if they fail to show up for their court appearances.
Can You Get a Bail Bond For a Traffic Violation?
The accused person can pay the full amount of the bond at the courthouse, or they can hire a licensed attorney to attend their arraignment and request that the judge reduce the bail amount. The judge will ask the accused about their financial situation and make sure that they understand that if they fail to appear for all of their court dates, they will owe the entire bond amount to the court.
Most people who get a traffic violation do not need to be represented by a professional attorney. The courtesy notice that the defendant receives with their traffic ticket will indicate the bail amount and provide instructions on how to pay it. This can be done online, over the phone, or in person at any justice center during normal business hours.
For those who do not want to pay the full bail amount, a bondsman can be hired. The bondsman will check in with the accused person on the day of their court appearance and may even physically take them to the courthouse if they are unable to come by themselves. If the defendant fails to show up for their court appearance, the judge will issue a warrant for their arrest.
The next time law enforcement encounters the defendant, they will be arrested and taken to jail if the warrant is still active. If the defendant is caught before the expiration date of their warrant, they will be required to pay the full bail amount in addition to a new fine for failing to appear in court. A failure to appear (FTA) can also cause their driver’s license to be suspended, and the courts will often add a $300 civil penalty.