In the United States, people without money are at a substantial disadvantage when they become defendants in the criminal justice system. They can’t afford a defense lawyer, so they are represented by an overworked public defender with little time to devote to cases. They also can’t afford to pay bail for their release from jail. Fortunately, a bail bond company in Midwest City Oklahoma is available to help.
The Problem With Bail
The Atlantic has reported that more than half of people behind bars in the United States at any time have not yet been tried or convicted for the offense they are charged with. This is the situation in a nation that allegedly views each defendant as innocent until proven guilty. Some of those defendants were denied the option of bail because the judge considered them a flight risk, but many simply cannot afford bail.
Some jurisdictions are trying other methods besides requiring bail that low-income people cannot afford. Research has found that a very large majority of people charged with a crime appear for all their court dates after being released on their own recognizance, meaning without any bail. One intriguing possibility being tried by certain jurisdictions involves requiring defendants to check in daily after their release without bail. This typically is only an option for nonviolent offenders.
Using a Bonds Service
For people who do have to pay bail to gain their freedom, a Bail Bond Company in Midwest City Oklahoma posts a bond with the court in exchange for a nonrefundable fee from the customer. If the person doesn’t have enough cash to pay bail and doesn’t know anyone who could do this as a favor, this may be the only option. This person may not be eligible for a cash loan from a bank or other lender due to low income or credit problems.
The fee charged by an organization such as Ken Boyer Bail Bonds is usually a standard percentage of the bail amount. In Oklahoma, this most commonly is 10 percent. Thus, if bail has been set by a judge at $2,000, the defendant only needs to come up with $200 to pay the bonding service. That is obviously much more affordable.
