One of the hardest elements to understand in the justice system is bail bonds. At a local level, you need an understanding of how they work to secure your loved one’s release. When however a federal case is involved, the bail bond becomes more complicated, and there is a lot of red tape involved.
Federal offenses encompass those that contravene both federal and state laws like grand theft, narcotics, and illegal drugs, sale and distribution, kidnapping, arson or crime on federal property. When required to post federal bail bonds in Gastonia, NC, you should call a bail bondsman and brief them about your situation.
This is because the set amount for these bonds is generally far higher than state bonds and there are more hearings and documents needed. Without an expert, it is easy to languish in jail since you will not meet most requirements or even raise the bond required. The following are some of the types of federal bail bonds that will apply to your case.
Signature Bond
This type of bond will only necessitate a personal assurance from one or several financially responsible persons. There is no collateral needed by the court in this case, and all you need is a promise from your guarantors that you will show up in court for your case. Your bail bondsman will, however, require collateral to guarantee that you will keep the court’s terms if they are your guarantor.
Corporate Surety Bond
This is the most common federal bail bond. It is a financial guarantee that you will attend hearings and is backed by insurance policies from a bail bond agency. A corporate surety bond guarantees that you will comply with all the conditions a court will set for your bail while awaiting the outcome of your trial.
You might, for instance, be required to take weekly drug tests or have limited travel outside specific regions. Corporate surety bonds have a high liability and risk for bail bond companies. As such, they attract a 15% cost compared with the 10% in most bail bonds and only secure collateral is used.
Federal Property Bond
This requires the direct pledging of real property to the federal court to guarantee you will comply with a bail bond’s conditions. This is unlike other bail bonds where the burden of ensuring you show up in court is placed on a bail bondsman.
Other than the cash pledged to the court, the court might require a personal guaranty from your family and friends and at times the surrender of your passport.
Personal recognizance bond
This is not often used in federal cases. It works like the signature bail bond but allows you to be released on your own guarantee that you will come to court and comply with other set conditions. It might only be used if you have a low flight risk and your crime is minimal.
Your best choice when facing these federal bonds is to deal with a bail bondsman with expertise in federal bonds. This guarantees your paperwork will be handled fast and you get flexible payment plans for the upfront fee. Moreover, state bondsmen will rarely have high monetary amounts required for federal bail bonds.
