When a defendant is arrested and charged with a crime he or she will often ask questions about how much bail will cost and what to anticipate. This is understandable, as no one knows exactly how much the court will determine to be required for a persons release before trial.
In many states, there are regulations regarding the rates that a bail agent can charge to post bond for someone who has been detained. These regulations are designed to protect both the defendant and the bonding agent they are also meant to ensure that the bail premium paid by the defendant is not excessive or unfairly discriminatory.
Posting bail can be a costly endeavor and its important to understand the financial commitment involved. At bail bonds temecula we believe in educating our clients and providing them with the information they need to make informed decisions. We will discuss the cost of bail bonds and what you can anticipate, including fees, collateral and the bail bond process.
A Bail Premium is a Non-Refundable Fee
When you decide to enlist the services of a bail bondsman its important to know how much they will charge for their services. This fee is known as a bail bond fee or premium and its a percentage of the total bail amount. This is a type of surety bond and it is meant to compensate the bail bondsman for taking a financial risk by posting the full bail amount for the defendant.
This fee is regulated by the state government and is typically only charged by a licensed bail bond company. The fee is generally between 10% and 15% of the bail amount but this varies from state to state.
Average Bail Amounts by Crime
If you or a loved one is arrested and charged with a common criminal offense you might be wondering about how much bail will cost. While there is no fixed answer to this question it can be helpful to look at average bail amounts for different types of crimes.
Burglary If the crime involves stealing from another person or property bail could be set at up to $20,000. In some cases, this can be higher than that depending on the value of the goods stolen and whether there were any weapons involved in the theft.
Assault Physical assault charges can start at up to $10,000. If a person was injured during the assault this could result in an increase in bail up to $50,000.
Felonies The most serious crime a defendant can face can be felony charges such as burglary and robbery. These felony charges can carry very harsh penalties and can include long-term prison sentences or even death.
For a first time offender a felony can be very traumatic and can have a lasting impact on the offender life. This is why its so important to understand the average bail prices for felony offenses.
In most states, felony charges can lead to extremely high bail. Unless the offender has a strong criminal history or other indications that they will not flee they are unlikely to be granted any bail at all.
The court will usually set a bail amount at a suspect first hearing after arrest which is called the arraignment or bail hearing. The amount can be raised or lowered based on the judge discretion but it should always be within an acceptable range such as $500 for misdemeanor petty offenses.