A Brief Bail Bonds Glossary
Although the criminal justice system in the United States was created to provide fairness and equity to everyone subject to it, certain elements of the system can seem unfair at times. One area in which you may find difficulty seeing the fairness is in terms of having to post bail for your freedom. However, the inequity that results from some individuals possessing fewer financial resources than others is addressed by the bail bond process. As a leading provider of Dallas bail bonds, A Way Out Bail Bonds prides itself on giving everyone equal access to freedom.
Through our company’s experiences serving those in Dallas, our founders have come to understand that the process can be difficult to understand. And this can have a significant impact—differentiating between different bail bond types and understanding the overall timing of the process will help you plan for the future.
In the interest of assisting our clients, A Way Out Bail Bonds is pleased to provide you with a brief bail bonds glossary to clarify some common and confusing terms.
- Arraignment – a special meeting in court in which the judge will address the accused directly, recite the charges against the accused from police reports, and request a plea of either guilty or innocent.
- Bail Bond – an agreement between the court and the accused in which the accused is allowed to stay out of jail until the resolution of his case in exchange for a promise to appear in court and, often, collateral security.
- Bail Forfeiture – the result of the accused breaking the terms of the bail bond agreement. The court will order the bondsman to pay the security pledged.
- Bail Schedule – a chart showing the amount of bail required for each crime that varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
- Collateral – money or property pledged to guarantee bail. If the accused does not violate the terms of bail, this money is released at the end of the trial.
These are just a few terms you may need to understand the bail bond process. For more information or to secure bail bonds in Dallas, call A Way Out Bail Bonds at 214-272-0794.