A person’s right to privacy is being decimated in the digital age. With video cameras on every street corner and details on every keystroke we make being sold to the highest bidder, our own personal privacy is poised to become a distant memory.
One of the first things that a police officer does after he or she has pulled you over for a minor traffic violation is to “run your license” which means they’re looking to see if you have a criminal history that they should be aware of but also see if you have any outstanding warrants for your arrest. Often, people aren’t even aware that a warrant has been issued for their arrest.
You know it by heart, whether you’ve ever been arrested or not. It’s recited on every episode of every police show. You have the right to remain silent. But what’s it all about? Where did it come from and are these rights really that important for me to know?
If you’re arrested and need to post bail to get out of jail, you have a few options. If you don’t have enough money for bail or a bond but you own a home, you can use that as collateral to get out of jail. It’s called a property bond. A property bond is a bond that uses a valuable property, such as your home, to post bond instead of cash. Property bonds can be equity in a person’s home, commercial building, or vacation home.
For many people who are arrested, bail is set too high to be able to afford. It is, after all, meant to be high enough so you wouldn’t want to skip out on bail and lose it. But for others, it’s not out of reach and they can tap into their savings and pay the full amount of bail and get it back after they’ve shown up in court. No matter the outcome―acquittal, guilty, or the case was dropped―bail will be returned to the defendant. Should you post the bail yourself or use a bail bond agent?
Nobody ever wants to be arrested but it happens and you could find yourself one day behind bars wondering what you’re supposed to do next. Or you could get a phone call in the middle of the night from a loved one who has been arrested and needs your help to get out of jail. Knowing a little about how the process works can make things go more smoothly and get the ball rolling faster on your release.