Debunking Harmful Myths Surrounding SLC Bail Bonds

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Debunking Harmful Myths Surrounding SLC Bail Bonds

debunking myths bail bonds

If you’ve recently been arrested, or if you’re the friend or family member of someone else who has, you have enough to worry about without having to deal with incorrect information about your situation. This is why the handful of myths out there surrounding bail bonds, which often steer people in the wrong direction and may even cause some to remain in jail for longer than necessary, bother us so much.

At Beehive Bail Bonds, not only are we here to offer 24/7 bail bond coverage to any Salt Lake City or other Utah individual who has been arrested and jailed, but also to ensure our clients have the right information about their situation — and aren’t falling victim to silly myths that might confuse them or worsen the issue. Here are a few of the most common, plus the realities of each of these situations so you know the full facts.

Myth #1: Once You’re Out on Bail, You’re Free to Do Whatever You Want

Something we take care to remind each and every client of our bail bond services: The book is not simply closed on your situation once you’re out of jail. Instead, a court date is set for your hearing so the judge can see if there’s enough evidence to hold you over for trial or dismiss the charges against you. You have to show up on this day or risk being arrested again, plus face additional charges for failure to appear.

Additionally, if there are any conditions placed on the bail bond — such as not going within a certain distance of a particular person or location, for instance — you have to abide by those. If you’re caught violating these terms, it could result in arrest, plus your bail amount might increase from the added charges against you.

This is perhaps the single most harmful myth out there. If you mistakenly think you’re free and clear after you’re bailed out, you might violate the terms of your bail or skip your court date, not thinking that it could result in being arrested again.

Myth #2: You Have to Pay Cash, Immediately

While this may have been true for certain bail bond agencies a few decades ago, this isn’t necessari ly how it works anymore. If you’d like to make a bail bond payment with a credit card, for instance, many companies will let you do this. Other agencies even have weekly or monthly payment plans through which you can make your payment over time instead of all at once.

Of course, the caveat here is that you’ll likely have to put down a deposit fee with the company you’re working with, which is what ensures they get their funds regardless of whether or not you show up for your court date. You will likely be required to pay this when making your initial payment either way.

Myth #3: Bail Bond Agents Help Negotiate Bail

While our agents play a valuable role in helping secure the release of many people from jail, we have nothing to do with the actual setting of the bail amount. That’s decided by a judge, and it can often be quite high (especially when there are additional charges or when someone’s dangerous).

The only way to get this figure reduced is to make your case in court — and even then, you’ll need someone who knows all about the law on your side, such as an experienced attorney. This can be incredibly helpful in getting you back home to your loved ones as soon as possible, but it’s important to remember this means filing a motion and presenting evidence — something we don’t do at our bail bond service. However, we do offer recommendations for local defense attorneys — and if you mention Beehive Bail Bonds, you’ll get a free consultation with any of these lawyers.

Myth #4: Everyone Who is Arrested is Bail-Eligible

In many cases, bail is possible, but not everyone is necessarily eligible. This applies especially in the case of violent crimes — when an individual has been charged with murder, for instance. The judge will often determine this during your first court appearance and decide whether you’re to be held without bail until trial.

In other situations, some defendants may be denied bail even if their crime is not violent in nature. If a person has a history of previous convictions, for instance, the judge might not allow bail. Even having an outstanding warrant can negatively impact your case — and hurt your chances of getting bail in some cases.

Myth #5: You Have to Pay Full Bail on Your Own

This last myth is exactly what companies like Beehive Bail Bonds exist to disprove. Bail bonds themselves are a simple way of reducing the overall amount of bail needed to be paid, which means you won’t have to come up with the full figure.

When you work with a bail bond agent, you only pay a small fraction of the actual bail in question. In exchange for a fee, the bail bond company fronts the rest of the money. This lets you get out of jail while still ensuring the court system you’ll return for your trial, without forcing you to come up with a ton of cash all at once.

Although there are fees involved — typically a percentage of the total amount of bail, along with additional expenses such as collateral and even payment for our services — this is still undeniably easier than having to come up with hundreds or thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. What’s more, your loved ones can get in on the action by cosigning for the bond and making payments over time, if you so choose — otherwise, we often wind up working with third-party bail bondsmen or agencies once again to bring people back home.

For more on debunking the common myths surrounding bail bond and bail bond agents, or to learn about any of our bail bond services or defense attorney recommendations in SLC, speak to the staff at Beehive Bail Bonds today.