If you are arrested in Bristol, Connecticut, you might find that your options for securing release from police custody are limited. If you lack the support or sufficient funds to pay the bail, you could be held in custody until trial.
Fortunately, you can retain the help of a bail bonds service to obtain the funds you need quickly. If you are looking for a professional Bristol bail bonds company, contact 24 Hour Online Bail Bonds. Our team offers integrated online solutions with bail bond processes at affordable costs. We have helped many clients and can help you secure your release on bail so you can return home to your loved ones.
What is Bail?
Bail is the sum of money a defendant submits to the court to obtain their release from a holding cell. It is a way of assuring the court that the accused will show up for future court hearings. Judges could sometimes release individuals on their own recognizance (OR release). This implies that they do not have to post bail. They only promise to show up in court when required.
Depending on the specific situation and charges, the court can also reject your bail request in some cases. Individuals charged with serious or violent offenses could be ineligible for bail release. However, in most situations, the court will set bail, even if you cannot afford it.
Understanding the Bail Process
The bail process involves the following steps:
Arrest and Booking
If law enforcement officers arrest you, they will escort you to the nearest police station. You will be processed and booked upon arrival to generate an official arrest report. Booking is the process by which a police officer:
- Records your personal details
- Captures your photograph and fingerprints
- Records information regarding the alleged crime
- Searches for your past convictions and record
- Searches and seizes any personal belongings you carry, such as a phone, wallet, or keys
Once the booking process is complete, the officer will lock you in a cell while you await trial. However, if your charges are minor, they could release you on your OR release. This means you must sign a citation agreeing to attend court as scheduled. The police will evaluate certain factors before releasing you on your own recognizance (OR release), including the nature of your crime and criminal record.
Booking may take several hours, depending on the following:
- The number of detainees
- Police officers involved in the booking process
- The standard booking protocol
Arraignment in Court
The state can schedule your court arraignment within 72 hours. During the hearing, the court will read the charges and inquire how you want to plead. Then, the judge can either:
- Free you on your OR release based on your record and the charges against you
- Set the bail amount and send you to the detention cell until you pay it
- Decline your bail request
Setting Bail
The bail amount varies by jurisdiction and is determined by the nature of the crime committed. Bail schedules help judges set the bail amount. All Connecticut counties have bail schedules that specify the bail amounts for each offense. The presiding judge can adjust the bail sum listed on the schedule by reducing or raising it.
The presiding judge can consider the following factors when determining whether to adjust the bail amount:
- Your ability to pay
- The nature of the alleged offense
- The likelihood of showing up in court
- Your previous criminal convictions
- Safety for the general public
If you are facing charges for a serious or violent offense, the judge will not reduce your bail sum below what is listed on the schedule unless they find unusual circumstances or good cause.
Types of Bail
In Connecticut, there are 3 ways to post bail. These include the following:
Cash Bail
Cash bail means that you have the whole bail amount in cash and pay it to the court. You could also pay bail through a credit/debit card, check, money order, or other means. Cash bail is often the most convenient method of paying bail. However, the bail amounts are usually high, and most individuals do not have such amounts of money that are easily accessible.
Bail Bond
Many people hire bail bond services because they do not have enough cash available to pay cash bail. A bail bond is an agreement between the court, the defendant, and a bail bonds service. Under the terms of the agreement, you commit to appear in court as ordered by the judge, and the bail bonds company agrees to pay the bail sum on your behalf.
However, you should first deposit the bail bonds company's premium. The bail premium normally costs 10% of the bail sum set by the court and is non-refundable. To secure a bail bond, you must have a co-signer who agrees to be liable for you and the posted bail money. The co-signer guarantees that you will show up for all court hearings. If you fail to appear in court as scheduled, the bail bonds company will seek payment of the posted bail amount.
Some bail bond companies may ask for collateral as an additional security measure. Assets such as a vehicle, a home, or anything else of value could serve as collateral. Your release from custody is secured by the bail bondsman once a co-signer has paid the 10% charge.
The release process starts once the bail bondsman deposits the required bail money at the courthouse. Certain factors determine how long the process takes to be free. Your possible release from jail within forty-eight hours depends on the jail's capacity and staffing levels. Your release could be expedited to 12 hours if the detention facility is not understaffed, a huge caseload is waiting to be processed, or if it is a holiday or weekend.
Property Bond
You can post a property bond instead of cash or pay the premium needed to hire a bail bondsman. To post a property bond, you promise to show up in court at all scheduled hearings and essentially give the court custody of your property until you satisfy your commitment. The property's value must be double the bail amount to qualify as a property bond.
For example, if the bail has been set at $50,000, the court must be satisfied that the item you plan to put up as bail is worth at least $100,000. Additionally, the property needs to have had a recent evaluation, its liens declared, and its value expertly estimated to be posted as bail.
If the courts determine that the property has sufficient equity, they will use it as bail and grant your release. Preparing a property bond and submitting an official evaluation can be very time-consuming.
As such, people hardly ever look for this kind of bail. However, it is another means of paying for your bail should you lack the funds for a cash bail or bail bond.
Skipping Bail
Not showing up for court when necessary is known as skipping bail. The court will issue a warrant for your arrest and set a time limit before forfeiting your bail when you fail to appear for your scheduled hearing. If you obtained your release through the services of a Bristol bail bonds firm, the bail bondsman is authorized to look for you and bring you before the judge once they have found you. In most cases, the judge will grant your bail bondsman a 180-day window to find you.
The Bristol bail bonds company can locate you with an experienced bounty hunter. Bounty hunters are not employed by the government, much like bail bondsmen. Therefore, they lack the authority to take you into custody.
Nevertheless, once hired, they can apprehend the escapee and bring them before the court. Your co-signer's agreement with the Bristol bail bonds company gives them the authority to visit your house, make an arrest, or perform any other course of action.
The judge could reinstate the bail when you reappear or are apprehended by the bounty hunter before the 180 days are over, as long as you can present a reasonable explanation for your initial failure to appear. You may explain your nonattendance using acceptable reasons, such as serious illness, being disabled, insanity, or being detained in another jurisdiction.
If you completely miss your court appearances, the court will confiscate the entire bail amount. You will not receive any money back if you pay using cash bail. If you posted bail using your property, the court will put a lien on it and eventually sell it to retrieve the bail.
If you used a bail bond to be released, the Bristol bail bonds service will lose their money to the court. However, your co-signer could be held financially liable. The bail bonds company could put your collateral up for auction to recover what they spent on the bounty hunter and in court. This implies that if you borrowed collateral from someone else, they would forfeit it due to your failure to appear for your court hearing.
Bristol Courthouse and Jail Information
If you or a loved one requires Bristol bail bonds services to secure your freedom, the following court and jail information can come in handy:
Bristol Jail
131 North Main St.
Bristol, CT,6010
Phone: 860-584-3011.
Hartford County Sheriff's Office
20 Franklin Square,
Hartford, CT,06051
Phone: 860-515-5065.
Hartford District Superior Court (JD Courthouse)
101 Lafayette St.,
Hartford, CT,6106
Phone: 860-566-3861
Fax: 860-566-6977
Hartford District Superior Court
95 Washington St.,
Hartford, CT,6106
Phone: 860-548-2850
Fax: 860-548-2887
Find a Reputable Bristol Bail Bonds Service Near Me
If you have been arrested and are searching for a Bristol bail bonds company to assist you in regaining your freedom, talk to a Bristol bail bonds service. At 24 Hour Online Bail Bonds, we are proud of our track record of swiftly securing client releases. Our team also provides simple payment schedules and reasonable prices.
Call us at 800-930-8999 to set up your free consultation. We will gladly address any of your inquiries and guide you through the bail bond procedure.