Getting arrested for any crime is usually a devastating experience for anyone, whether they are guilty or innocent. After booking and getting jailed, the next thing you will be thinking about is how to get yourself out fast. The quickest way is usually by posting bail, which is set depending on the reason for the arrest. To determine the bail for your release, you will need to go to a Greenville, SC bail hearing. During the trial, the judge will go through your charges and other factors to determine the amount to pay. In most cases, the amount is usually more than one can settle on short notice. In this case, you will need the assistance of a bail bondsman to post bail for you. Read further to see how much a bail bond costs.

What is a Bail Bond in Greenville, SC?

Most people are unable to pay the cash amount for their bail to secure their release. In such cases, a bail bond company is hired to post a bail bond for them. Greenville bail bonds are a percentage of the bail amount that is paid by a bondsman, so you are released from jail. 

The bail bond is an assurance that you will appear in court on the date of your hearing. In South Carolina, the bondsman is allowed to charge up to 15% of the bail amount. However, you will most likely be required to pay 10%, and he will get the remaining amount in the form of collateral. 

Collateral allows the Greenville bail bonds agent to pay the remaining 90% of the bail should you fail to go to court. It can be any valuable property that equals the remaining amount of the bail. This ensures that the bondsman does not get any losses if you do not appear in court. 

How Is The Bail Amount Determined?

There are a lot of considerations that are made by the court when determining the amount for bail. These include:

• The seriousness of the Greenville, SC charges filed against you.
• Previous criminal record. If you have been arrested before and charged for any crime, your bail amount will likely be high.
• Court history. If you have a record, the court will examine if you have ever failed to appear in court after posting bail.
• Your mental state. They will check if you have any mental illness and if you are stable enough.
• History of alcohol and drug abuse. Incidences such as DUI and DWI will affect the amount.
• Community Ties. They will assess the risk of flight, so if you do not have roots in then, that means a higher amount.

In some cases, the court may deny you bail especially if you have a terrible record or you are a flight risk.

Greenville Bail Bond Cost

If you are unable to pay your bail in cash, you can call a bondsman to get you out of jail. Unlike the court, the bondsman will only require between 10% and 15% of the bail amount to get you released. 

For example, if your bail was $10,000, you need to pay or get a relative you pay $1000 to the bondsman. However, there needs to be collateral just in case you decide to disappear and fail to appear in court. If you were able to pay your bail in cash and appeared in court when required to, the amount is usually refunded. However, when you use a bail bonds agent, the 10% is retained by the company as profit.

What Happens If You Fail To Appear In Court?

A Bench Warrant Is Issued

The judge issues a warrant for your arrest. It will allow the law enforcers to look for you and arrest you anywhere. In this case, you cannot post another Greenville, SC bail so you will stay in jail till your next court date.

Bail Is Imposed

The bail bond agent will have to pay the remaining 90% of the bail amount using the collateral collected. In case you had posted cash bail, the amount is taken by the court. If you had appeared in court, your collateral items would have been returned to you and the cash bail refunded. 

Additional Charges

Failure to appear in a Greenville, SC court is a criminal offense, and you may have charges added to your case. For this, you may be required to pay a fine of up to $10,000 or serve a jail term.

In case you or a loved one is arrested, and you cannot afford the bail, contact Greenville Bail Bonds for assistance. Our services are 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once you have called us and paid the bail bond, our agent will secure your release within a couple of hours. Contact us today to find out how we can help you get out of jail.