If you are arrested and thrown in jail, odds are you’re going to want to get out of there as quickly as possible. However, you might find that to be harder than expected, especially if friends or family either don’t know about your arrest or are slow to provide assistance. You may opt to call a lawyer and see if they can help with the process. But will a lawyer be able to bail you out of jail? We explain how a lawyer can help secure your release after an arrest in today’s blog.
Will A Lawyer Bail Me Out?
You’re going to want an ally in your corner in the wake of an arrest, but who can you turn to in order to help secure your release from jail? Family may be reluctant to post your bail, and if you’re hamstrung because you’re behind bars, you could end up spending multiple nights in jail until you can be seen by a judge. So what should you do if you find yourself find this situation? The best thing you can do is to contact a criminal defense lawyer.
Your lawyer will have a number of tricks up their sleeve to help secure your release, but know that it’s highly unlikely that your lawyer will post bail for you. Even if you hire them, they are unlikely to put up any funds on your behalf and take responsibility that you will show up for your appearance. That said, they can do a number of things to help the situation.
First, they can try to work to have your bail amount reduced or eliminated so that you can be released on your own recognizance. If you can help get bail to a reasonable amount, you may be able to post bail on your own and secure your release.
If bail is still higher than you want it to be, your lawyer can contact what’s known as a bondsman or a bail bond company. These companies will post bail on your behalf, and you’ll sign forms stating that you’ll show up to all your required court appearances. This typically costs 10 percent of your bail amount, so if bail is set at $2,000, you can pay a bondsman $200 and they will be able to secure your release. You will not get this $200 back, even if you show up to all your appearances and are found not guilty.
It’s not a perfect system, but it allows you to get out of jail if you can’t afford a high bail. If you post bail on your own, show up to all appearances and are not guilty, your bail amount will be returned to you. If you’re going with a bond company, it’s essential that you understand their fee structure so that you’re not in for a surprise, but your lawyer can also help explain this in greater detail.
So while a lawyer will not personally bail you out, they can work to have your bail lowered, attempt to get you released on your own recognizance or connect you with a bail bondsman who will be able to help fund your release.
Your lawyer will be an ally in many ways throughout the process, and it can begin much earlier in the process than many realize. To connect with a lawyer about securing your release or helping build a defense, reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
