Late last month, The Tennessean reported that a man had been arrested in Nashville, TN on a murder-for-hire charge following a four-month-long investigation into a drug ring. Bailbonds for all involved in the cocaine distribution and the murder plot have ranged from $100,000 to $750,000. One man, arrested on a felony marijuana charge and drug crimes, has a lesser bail of $40,000.
Obviously, with the exception of the marijuana charge, bailbonds have been set so high because of the nature of the crimes. The judge has set the bailbonds this high to prevent the men who have been accused from being able to make bond and be released. Given that the charges range from conspiracy to commit murder, felony possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, cocaine conspiracy, and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, the high amount of the bailbonds is understandable.
Most of us and our loved ones will not ever face these kinds of charges; however, it is possible for any of us to face criminal charges, even mistakenly. A DUI arrest results in a criminal charge. As does a shoplifting arrest, even if one is mistakenly accused, which sometimes happens. For charges such as these, bailbonds are usually set high enough to prevent us from being a flight risk, but not so high that we would not be able to make bail with the help of a bailbonds agent.
If you or a loved one is ever in need of bailbonds, it is helpful to understand what the process entails. Bailbonds are meant to guarantee that the accused will appear in court. When a judge sets bail, it is simply an amount that will be paid to the court to guarantee that the accused does not “skip” town. If you have the cash on hand, you can pay cash bail, and you do not need a bailbonds agent.
However, most people do not have that kind of cash readily available, hence the need for bailbonds. With bailbonds, the agent fronts the money needed for bail and charges a percentage fee. Depending on the amount of the bail and the criminal history of the person accused, the bailbonds agent may also request collateral. If the accused fails to appear in court, the bailbonds agent will keep the collateral and a warrant will be issued for the accused’s arrest.
Though it may seem like a difficult process, securing bailbonds in Nashville, TN does not need to be stressful if you have the help of an experienced agent. Just remember that after bailbonds have been secured, it is imperative that the accused makes all court appearances to avoid further charges.
