Why a Bail Bond is Better Than Cash

Romelli Bail Bonds has been in the bail bond business for many years. You can count on our expertise to help you in a time of turmoil. Having an encounter with the courts is a daunting, often scary event for anyone, to say nothing of the alarm you feel if you find yourself in a jail cell! You need someone on your side during this process. The sense of urgency that naturally occurs when you or someone you know needs bail may make you feel inclined to simply give the cash to the jail. After all, what you want is to get yourself or a loved one out of custody as soon as possible. But there are a few things to know about paying cash for bail versus securing a bail bond.

Don’t Plunk Down Cash!

So why do we advise you to secure a bail bond instead of cash? Our experience in this business has taught us that there are specific reasons why a bail bond is better. Should you ever find yourself in trouble with the law, consider these tips (and keep your cash).

• Courts are more likely to take that which they see. Giving the court cash for bail increases the chance that the cash will be used for fines and court costs.  In some instances, the fines and costs can be higher than if  a surety bond was used.  It can also interfere with an accused’s plan to make installment payments for the fines and court costs.

A surety bail bond cannot be used to pay fines and costs. This means that borrowing money to bail out of jail will not subject the lender to the defendant’s punishment, simply because they lent the money.  The same cannot be said in the case of cash bail.

• Using cash jeopardizes access to a court-appointed lawyer. The public defender will be appointed to represent a defendant that demonstrates an inability to afford a lawyer. Defendant’s who post cash bail are showing the court that they have access to funds. And, subsequently, the court will refuse to appoint them a lawyer.

• Bail forfeiture and the layman. Another reason to not expose cash to the risk of guaranteeing a defendant’s appearance is that a technical bail violation, even if inadvertent, results in a complete forfeiture of the cash. Courts are known to regularly change departments in which a case is heard. Even when the defendant has been told to appear in a particular department, the case is often reassigned. Defendant’s appearing in the wrong department will have their bail forfeited. The same goes for defendants who are a few minutes late, or who stepped out to use the restroom when their name was called. When cash bail is posted, your only recourse will be to hire an attorney familiar with bail law to argue for the return of the cash.

Romelli Bail Bonds’ agents are experts in bail and the criminal justice system. We advise practicing attorneys, as well as our clients, in bail- and forfeiture-related matters. Unforeseen situations occur even when a bail bond is used, but when they do occur, you’ll have an expert, and a criminal justice system “insider” on your side to help resolve issues.

• Keep your private information private. Posting cash bail on your own behalf, or that of another person becomes public information once the cash is posted. An arrest is downright embarrassing, even if it’s not you who was arrested, but a friend or a loved one. Romelli Bail Bonds holds all of the information we receive in strict confidence. It’s no one’s business but your own, and we understand that.

Call our bail bond agency any time of day or night for this kind of advice. We’ll take the worry out of the process with easy bail bond payment plans that let you keep the cash you need for other things, but more importantly, we’ll help get you out of jail!