Tag Archives: Bail Schedules

Why is My Boyfriend’s Bail Set So High?

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You just got off the phone with your boyfriend, who called from jail. Now you are pressured with the responsibility of getting him out. What do you do? You call a bail bondsman for help. But are you hesitating because of how high your boyfriend’s bail is set at? If so, continue reading to learn what you need to know about bail and bail schedules before committing to a bail bond contract on behalf of your boyfriend.

24 Hour Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
24 Hour Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

The Basics of Bail Schedules

The purpose of setting a bail amount is to obligate and encourage offenders to appear for their court heating after being released from custody. They should be high enough to make offenders want to appear for court, but not so high that they are incredibly unreasonable. In fact, the 8th Amendment in our United States Constitution protects this right.

For most jurisdictions around the country, bail schedules are used to help set bail amounts. These are assigned bail amounts for specific types of crimes. For instance, the crime of shoplifting a pair of sunglasses from the convenient store may have a bail amount set at $1,000, while a drunk driving charge may start at $5,000 bail. Bail schedules differ from state to state, and sometimes even county to county. See our blog, “Local County Bail Bond Schedules for Indianapolis” to learn more about our city.

How Judges Generally Set Bail

Judges hold a hearing called a bail hearing, in which they discuss the bail options for the defendant. Judges have the discretion of setting a person’s bail amount, whether that means setting it high, setting it low, or granting no bail requirement at all. This is called being released on your own recognizance, commonly referred to as being “OR’d.”

Other times, a judge might deny bail privileges altogether. This is common for habitual offenders and those with a history of fleeing. Additional factors that influence bail amounts include an offender’s criminal history, the severity of their crime, the chances of them fleeing, their financial resources, and the risk they pose to themselves and others.

An Indianapolis Bail Bondsman Who is ON YOUR SIDE

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to get out your friend out of jail in Indianapolis, Indiana as fast as possible. Owner James Woods, and his team of licensed Indianapolis bail bondsmen, operate in over 30 Indiana counties, so we are always standing by to help. We offer a wide range of bail bond services, including prearranged bail for arrest warrant surrenders, as well as, free quotes, free jail information, and free pick-up and drop-off services to and from our office. Call 317-876-9600 to request a free estimate for Indianapolis bail bonds, today!

Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Do All Bail Bondsman Cost the Same?

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If you are in need of a bail bond, you may think it is proper protocol to call around to several different bail bond companies to see who will offer the best “deal.” But the truth is, there is no need to do that because the cost of bail is state regulated. However, the regulated bail limits are on a spectrum, which means that, to some degree, you may be able to procure a bail bond for less than someone else.

Continue reading to learn what you need to understand about bail bond prices before signing a bail agreement for yourself or someone else.

Cheap Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Cheap Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Cost of Bail

Bonds are set by judges who consider various factors before deciding on an amount. These factors include, but are not limited to, the defendant’s criminal history, the severity of their crime, and whether or not they are a flight risk. So in short, “yes”; the cost of bail is absolutely affected by the severity of criminal charges. This is for many reasons.

Bail Schedules

Most states have bail schedules with predetermined bond amounts for certain categories of crimes. For instance, shoplifting might come with an automatic bail schedule of $1000, while domestic violence might have a $10,000 bond or more. The more serious the crime, the higher the bond amount set by the judge.

If a charge is a violent one, such as assault, battery, domestic disturbances, and child abuse, you can guarantee that the bond will be set high. Furthermore, all preset bond amounts, however, can be increased upon the judge’s discretion depending on the previously discussed factors.  But not to worry, our U.S. Constitution protects us from excessive bond amounts. So they will be fair.

Bail Bondsmen

Unless you want to pay the jail or courts the full bond amount in cash or property, you will need to hire a bail bondsman. They charge a nonrefundable fee that is a set percentage of the total bond amount. For felony charges, bond amounts will be higher, which means the cost of a bail bond will be too. The premium a bail bondsman is allowed to charge is controlled and regulated by the State’s Insurance Department.

Currently, this rates are set between 10 and 15 percent. This means that the total allowable premium that bail bond companies are allowed to charge can be anywhere between these percentages. They get to choose how much they charge within this range. If a person is facing a felony charge and they have a history for fleeing, a bail bondsman will charge on the higher end, closer to the 15% marker. For first time or minor offenses, most stick with the 10% charge.

Where to Get Affordable Indianapolis Bail Bonds

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for prompt and professional bail bond services in Indiana. We provide 24 hour bail bonds in over 30 Indiana counties. We serve the Northern, Central, and Southern Indiana areas with safe and secure bail bonds you can afford. Right now, we are offering 8% bail bonds! Request a free estimate or information, anytime.