If you are arrested in Tulsa, the good news is that, in most cases, you will not have to remain in jail. You can post bail with the court and be released from jail until trial. The bad new is that, although the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution forbids bail amounts from being excessive, posting bail in Tulsa can still be very expensive.
Bail in Tulsa
Bail is money or property deposited (posted) with the court to secure your release and act as assurance that you will return to stand trial for the crimes for which you have been accused. After the trial, and any other appearances that you may be required to make, your bail will be returned to you, minus a small administrative fee. If you don’t return to stand trial, the court will keep the money or property you posted as bail.
How Much Bail Will I Need to Pay in Tulsa?
The exact amount of bail that you will be required to pay will be determined by the judge and will depend on a number of factors, including:
- The severity of the crime of which you are accused.
- The number of charges against you.
- Your prior criminal record.
- Your ability to pay.
- How likely you are to return for trial.
The court’s aim is to assign a bail amount that is appropriate for your crime and that will provide adequate incentive for you to return to stand trial. In some cases, such as where the defendant’s crime was particularly heinous, or where the defendant faces the death penalty, a suspect will not be allowed to post bail at all.
A Bail Bond in Tulsa
In some cases, you may be released on a Tulsa signature bond, where you simply promise to return to court on schedule and perhaps pay a bond amount if you fail to appear. In most cases involving felony charges and in many misdemeanor cases, you will be required to deposit money with the court to win your release. If you don’t have the money (or equivalent value in property) to post bail, you may obtain a bond from a bail bondsman or bond agent. To put it simply, a bond is a loan from the bail bondsman to satisfy your bail amount and it is secured by some form of collateral. The bondsman assumes responsibility for your bail in exchange for a fee, typically 10% of the bond amount. If you don’t show up for your trial, the bondsman will also keep the collateral as payment for assuming the risk.
Should You Post Bail or Get a Bond in Tulsa?
In many cases, especially for minor misdemeanor offenses, you may be released from jail on your own recognizance. In this case, neither bail nor bond will be needed. But if you are not released from jail on your own recognizance, whether or not you choose to post bail or obtain a bond to secure your release from jail will depend largely on your ability to come up with the money.
If you have the money, you don’t mind having it tied up for the duration of your trial and you are sure that you will show up for court, posting bail will ultimately be cheaper than getting a bond. If you show up for court, all of your money will be returned to you (minus a small administration fee), whether you are found innocent or not.
On the other hand, if you don’t have the means to satisfy your bail amount, obtaining a bond from a bail bondsman may be your best and only option to be released from jail until trial. However, it will cost you 10% of the bond amount and you risk losing whatever property you pledged as collateral, if you don’t show up to court. Furthermore, the bondsman may employ the service of bounty hunters to locate you and forcibly bring you back to stand trial.
Summary
Your decision to post bail or get a bond will largely depend on whether you have the money or not. Either way, you will face serious consequences if you do not show up for your scheduled court date.
Of course, you can always choose to remain in jail and await trial, and some suspects choose to do so rather than put their families through financial hardship. If you have been arrested in Tulsa, an experienced Tulsa criminal defense attorney can advise you on whether you should post bail or get a bond to get out of jail.
Free Consultation: Tulsa Criminal Attorney
When you’ve been arrested in the Tulsa area, it’s time to retain a Tulsa criminal attorney who will look out for your legal interests. Contact your defense team at Tulsa Criminal Defense Law Firm today for a free, confidential consultation.
A Tulsa criminal attorney can advise you how the criminal justice process works and offer answers to your specific questions. To begin your free consultation, call now: (918) 256-3400.