Charged and booked, you can still get out of jail by either paying bail or getting someone to pay it for you. It’s fairly common knowledge that arrests aren’t the end of life and that for a sum of money anyone can wriggle out.

But the vagueness of the situation arises because many people don’t really understand how the system works. Can you get bailed for murder (no, you can’t, by the way)? Will you have to stay in jail if you can’t afford the bail? So on and so forth.

We’re here to answer these questions.

The Arrest

Getting arrested means getting taken into physical custody by the police. You’ll get inside a police van and will be taken to a facility where you’ll be booked. If no charges are pressed, you’ll be allowed to go.

If the charges are pressed, you’ll have to pay money in bail to go free. The only other two ways in which you can be allowed to go is if the court allows it or the case is resolved in your favor.

The Booking

The booking includes everything you’ve ever seen on TV: your photo will be taken, you’ll be asked questions and will have to provide personal information, and any possessions that you have will be seized. A health evaluation will take them, and you’ll be held in a facility.

The Decision of Bail

Your bail amount will be decided by a judge who’ll look at your offense to determine the amount. The judge will also weigh in the chances there are of you committing more crimes once you’re out of jail and the possibility of you making a run for it before you can show up at court for the hearing.

It’s important to note that a judge can go for any amount that doesn’t seem reasonable, but that’s because they’ll have taken all things into consideration.

Bail Schedules

Depending on the magnitude of your crime and the state you live in, your bail schedules and amounts will be decided.

You can look at the 2018 Florida Statutes for more information on the state laws in Florida. If you have the money or if a family member can pay for you, you’ll be released once the amount is paid.

If you don’t have enough money to pay the amount, you can always approach a qualified and licensed bail bondsman, or a bail bonds company like Engel Bail Bonds Sanford. We’re here to hear from you and solve your bail-related issues, so give us a call at 407-339-0688.