When a loved one is taken into custody, the priority is to get them back home as quickly as possible. Many people try to handle the situation by paying the court themselves. While this option appears to be the most direct, they’re costlier and more time-consuming due to state laws and extensive paperwork. Among the benefits of using bail bonds services, it can minimize the stress and financial impact caused by an arrest while securing a third party to rely on for support.
How Has Connecticut’s 2020 Bail Reform Impacted Citizens?
When a person is charged with a crime, a judge may allow them the option to post bail. They decide the amount at their own discretion, which is informed by the type of crime the defendant is accused of and if they pose a flight risk. The authority afforded the court to assign high bond amounts payable only in cash. This prohibited many people from receiving bail for even minor misdemeanor accusations.
In 2020, reforms were passed, enforcing limits on bail amounts. Judges can now only set bonds that bondsmen can still guarantee. This limitation allows more individuals to return home until their court date.
The new laws also allow bails of $20,000 or less to be eligible for Connecticut’s cash upfront option. Defendants or their families can directly pay the state 10% of the bail’s amount to release them from holding. While the laws are meant to make bail more accessible, there are still significant drawbacks. Some benefits of using bail bonds service include affordability and reliability.
What Are the Disadvantages of the 10% Cash Upfront Bail Option?
High Costs
The court’s 10% upfront option is also limiting. You must pay the full percentage in cash, which is not always workable. In turn, many people pawn or sell items, go into debt, or use their property as collateral to pay the state directly. It will likely take time to obtain the money, which means loved ones will stay in jail for a longer period of time. Once they’re released, you are also responsible for your loved one making all necessary court appearances. If they don’t make their court date, you would need to pay the full amount of the bail.
Prohibitive Costs
Many individuals aren’t eligible for the court’s 10% cash upfront option, which pertains only to amounts that are $20,000 or less. However, bail is often set higher than $20,000, even for misdemeanor accusations. When police make an arrest, they often charge an individual with the most serious crime of its type. While the judge will likely decrease the charges to a reasonable level, it won’t be until the case progresses. The initial charge impacts the bail amount, making it either costly or ineligible for the cash option.
Assumed Risk
The 10% cash upfront option allows you to be your own bondsman. While it may seem like this streamlines the process, it actually adds further complications. You assume full responsibility to ensure the loved one out on bail makes it to their court appearances. Court dates often change due to continuances and prosecution postponements. Since early 2020, nearly all court cases have also seen consistent delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although several courts have improved their ventilation systems or are going virtual, further delays are likely due to the delta variant. Keeping track of court dates can be difficult, and mistakes are easy to make.
Increased Stress
Bail bond surety agents are licensed, experienced, and well-known to the court. The state trusts bondsmen and the surety they provide. On the other side, when a defendant or their family posts bail, they’re city residents with no licenses. In turn, the court may investigate how the money was obtained. Having an investigator ask questions and search through your financial history is invasive.
The interruptions also create avoidable stress and distractions.
What Are the Benefits of Using Bail Bonds Services?
There are many benefits of using bail bonds services in Connecticut, here are some of the most important ones:
Professional Accountability
When using a bail bond service, defendants and their families assume less risk. Bail bondsmen take on the responsibility of ensuring your loved one is present at their hearings. They stay updated on court date changes and provide notices to clients as necessary. Bail agents also have experience navigating the justice system to streamline the process. Additionally, they maintain connections with attorneys who can best represent your family’s needs. By hiring a bail bondsman, you’ll have fewer stressors, allowing for increased attention on the case.
Improved Service
Posting bail involves extensive and detailed paperwork, while also following specific filing procedures. The process varies from state to state and can be subject to alterations as laws change over time. Mistakes are easy to make, and even simple ones can prevent release approval. Bail bond services are comprehensive, covering both the financial and administrative aspects. Licensed agents have state-specific and updated knowledge of Connecticut’s bail procedure. They know how to fill out the proper paperwork along with proper filing and submission protocols.
Experienced agents are also well-informed with the latest bail procedures and laws. Since many bail bond companies are open 24/7, they’re also always available to help. Their reliability and experience with state laws can see your loved one freed in as little as 30 minutes. Once bail is approved, all you’ll need to do is wait for the release papers while they’re processed out of holding.
Increased Savings
Navigating the legal system can be costly, especially when people act as their own bondsman or as the bondsman of a friend or family member. When bail is set at a high amount, many people struggle to obtain the liquid assets they need. The situation leads many people to sell family heirlooms or property or dip into their savings accounts, since the full 10% must be paid to the state upfront and in cash.
Connecticut’s laws dictate that bail agents must also be paid 10% of the bail’s amount on bonds $5,000 or less, but the fee drops to 7% on anything above that. However, they have the freedom to decide for themselves how much of that fee must be paid upfront. For a nominal fee, they will provide the necessary funds for the bail. The money you save can go to hiring a criminal defense attorney, expert witnesses, or private detectives to investigate the crime.
Payment Options
Some important benefits of using bail bonds services include financing. Agents understand the financial difficulties that the legal process can create. To help their clients, bond companies accept various payment methods beyond cash. You can use different types of checks, credit cards, and apps. Many bond services also accept wire transfers and money orders. Additionally, bond agents don’t have to be paid the full 10% at once. Most companies offer customized payment plans and financing options to decrease the financial impact of the case.
Bail bonds services can help expedite the process and save you money in the long term. For over 20 years, Connecticut residents have relied on 3-D Bail Bonds for reliable assistance at affordable rates. As part of the benefits of using bail bonds services, we accept many forms of payment and financing options with 0% interest. Our licensed bail agents will help you return home quickly and keep you updated on your court dates, so you can focus on the next phase of your case.
We have several offices throughout the state, with our main location directly across from the Hartford Correctional Center on the second floor of 57 Fishfry Street. Call us at (860) 247-2245 or connect with us on Facebook for more information. Our New Britain office is located at 15 Arch Street, close to the local police department. To reach our bondsmen in the area, call us at (860) 229-2525. If you need to post bail in Hamden or New Haven, you can find us at (203) 562-6666. For a complete list of our many locations, along with information on our comprehensive bail bond services, visit our website.
