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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ How does Bail work?

Posted by: Racer Chris Mar 4 2005, 09:05 PM

If I recall correctly it takes 10% up front to get a bail bondsman to put up the rest of the $$.
What happens to the money after someone is tried and found innocent?
I guess I also want to know what other outcomes are possible with the bail $$.

Posted by: ! Mar 4 2005, 09:07 PM

QUOTE (Racer Chris @ Mar 4 2005, 07:05 PM)
If I recall correctly it takes 10% up front to get a bail bondsman to put up the rest of the $$.
What happens to the money after someone is tried and found innocent?
I guess I also want to know what other outcomes are possible with the bail $$.

A bail bond is lost money....the bondsman writes an insurance policy and the premium is the 10%....it's gone.....he takes a piece, the insurance company takes a piece...IF....the bondsman lays off the risk. Otherwise he gets it all...but he has taken on the responsibilty of having yer ass in court on time....

As a bonded out individual...you lose your civil rights. You can be searched at any time, your residence can be entered by bond agents if you FTA. Your family and friends essentially lose their rights too.....

Skip bail, you lose your collateral.....

Some courts will take a house if there is enough equity to cover the bail.....essentially they become a second trust deed or a third...etc.....

OR you can plunk down the cash.....

Posted by: LvSteveH Mar 4 2005, 09:13 PM

That makes sense, now I know why those bounty hunter guys will do almost anything to get the guy who skipped bale..... if it's a $50k bale, the bondsman made $5k, but stands to lose $45k if the guy doesn't show..... risky business.

Posted by: Racer Chris Mar 4 2005, 09:29 PM

With the # of club members we have it should be possible to come up with the full amount, but so far there is almost enough to put up the 10% at least.
Suppose the fund actually does grow to $50K and no bondsman is needed.
What happens to the $$ when brad shows up in court? Is the money returned?

Posted by: Qarl Mar 4 2005, 09:34 PM

Yes... the money is returned.

Posted by: ! Mar 4 2005, 09:38 PM

QUOTE (Racer Chris @ Mar 4 2005, 07:29 PM)
With the # of club members we have it should be possible to come up with the full amount, but so far there is almost enough to put up the 10% at least.
Suppose the fund actually does grow to $50K and no bondsman is needed.
What happens to the $$ when brad shows up in court? Is the money returned?

How much has be contributed so far?

Posted by: CptTripps Mar 4 2005, 09:43 PM

Last check had about $4k in the account...

...Not too shabby for one day.

Posted by: Hawktel Mar 4 2005, 09:48 PM

Andy said over 4 grand in another thread.

My $20 I chipped in is a contribution. Its so his wife or his father doesn't have a write a 5 grand check on a out of the blue thing. I've done that. It blows. If it goes to paying off his bondsman, money well spent.

Its friday night and quitting time. So beer me Barkeep, and I'll cya all tommorrow

Posted by: kwales Mar 4 2005, 09:51 PM

My all time favorite bail place was in Gifford Florida.....

Neon sign out front said "Bail Bonds and Barbecue......"

I guess when you get bailed out you can get some ribs to munch on during the drive home.....

No I'm not making this up.

Ken

Posted by: Qarl Mar 4 2005, 09:57 PM

Ideally it would be great if Brad's people could find a way to temprarily get the $50K, that way the $4K-$5K we have now could go towards legal fees, etc.

I think we're a looong way off from gathering $50K.

I also think coming up with $50K on a moment's notice is hard for most people too...

It's a hard decision to make...

I still think $50K is ridiculous... Better than $1.5 million (I won't even go there!!)

Q

Posted by: GWN7 Mar 4 2005, 10:07 PM

I did a search on Court TV's site about bail and found these....

Robert Blake's bail was 1 mil

Michael Jacksons bail was 3 mil

$150,000 bail for Accused daycare murderer Suzanne Johnson

Bail set high for San Francisco couple in dog attack bail at $2 million for Knoller and $1 million for Noel
....their dog killed a woman

a Bronx couple jumped their $5,000 bail after being charged with snatching and imprisoning a 12-year-old girl

$100,000 bail in connection with the murder charge

A rabbi accused of arranging the murder of his wife He remained free on $400,000 bail

one more.... Peterson, free on $850,000 bail

it looks like if you kill someone, bail is a lot lower than if your accused of stealing a car

Posted by: davep Mar 4 2005, 10:09 PM

There is not enough active members to get anywhere near the $50K. However, the money raised may be enough to consider a loan and pay the interest for a while.

That brings up another point. How long will this process likely take? You can't earn a living behind bars, in a law office or in court. His expenses are not going to be trivial. I'm sure everyone wants a speedy conclusion to this.

Posted by: Racer Chris Mar 4 2005, 10:10 PM

$50K is only $50 times 1000.
The club has way more than 1000 members, so theoretically it should be pretty easy.
This is about the best cause I can think of for this club to pull together.
What about the admins sending an email to all members alerting them to Brad's plight and "soliciting" a donation?
I know, I know... but I think this situation rises to the level of such extreme measures.
Assuming it happened that the $$ became available to Brad's cause, and assuming his defense was successful, and assuming the car was returned to it's rightful owner (Brad), I would be happy to see the fund used in the restoration effort.

Posted by: Qarl Mar 4 2005, 10:15 PM

Yes, there are thousands of members registered on 914club.... unfortunately I bet only 200 active over any examined period of time.

If every one of them gave $50 we'd be at $10K. I assume roughly half of my assumed active participation level have donated.. which puts it at around $5K... right about where we are...

Posted by: Qarl Mar 4 2005, 10:18 PM

If you haven't given yet and consider giving, but aren't sure how much you'd like to give....

Consider this...

If 914club weren't around, how much money would you have spent between mechanics, trying to figure out stuff and breaking it by reading the Hayne's manual, etc.

Think of your bail fund donation as a way of paying back the wealth if information and money-saving advice you've received from this board!

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=26344

Posted by: rick 918-S Mar 4 2005, 10:18 PM

QUOTE (Racer Chris @ Mar 4 2005, 08:10 PM)
$50K is only $50 times 1000.
The club has way more than 1000 members, so theoretically it should be pretty easy.
This is about the best cause I can think of for this club to pull together.
What about the admins sending an email to all members alerting them to Brad's plight and "soliciting" a donation?
I know, I know... but I think this situation rises to the level of such extreme measures.
Assuming it happened that the $$ became available to Brad's cause, and assuming his defense was successful, and assuming the car was returned to it's rightful owner (Brad), I would be happy to see the fund used in the restoration effort.

edit: I'm not sure we have 1000 active members. maybe 100 nuts and nutettes. Is that like $ 500.00 each? How can we shrink that number a little? Then again what do I know?

Posted by: Korijo Mar 4 2005, 10:38 PM

i know the bail system all too well

btdt... sent $$

Posted by: redshift Mar 4 2005, 10:50 PM

I am a tad upset, I had hopes that he'd be ROR.. he's not a flight risk, he's a working guy... wanting to work, and they are just asses.

M

Posted by: jimtab Mar 4 2005, 11:17 PM

Brad and or his lawyers can petition the court for an own recognizance bail, in other words, he and his friends can convince the court that he will return to appear he can be released on his own "bond" or his word that he will return. The whole idea of bail has changed from feudal days when bond was a guarantee by your "lord" that their feifs would appear. It has been 'transformed" so that these days unless the court has a strong, organized OR bail system, it probably won't happen. That means that even if you are innocent and the charges are dropped before trial, you are made to pay at LEAST a 10 percent penalty for your "crime", and to a bunch of slimeball assholes no less. My .02...I worked for two years for the San Francisco O. R. Bail Project and I'm proud to say got many people released w/o paying the bail extortion. Even got Lawrence Ferlinghetti out once...pissed in a cop car window when he was pissed....

Posted by: Rob Ways Mar 4 2005, 11:23 PM

Just put in some to help. Whether it goes to bail or some other cause (like countersuing the SOB) B's worth it.

Posted by: rick 918-S Mar 4 2005, 11:25 PM

QUOTE (jimtab @ Mar 4 2005, 09:17 PM)
Brad and or his lawyers can petition the court for an own recognizance bail, in other words, he and his friends can convince the court that he will return to appear he can be released on his own "bond" or his word that he will return. The whole idea of bail has changed from feudal days when bond was a guarantee by your "lord" that their feifs would appear. It has been 'transformed" so that these days unless the court has a strong, organized OR bail system, it probably won't happen. That means that even if you are innocent and the charges are dropped before trial, you are made to pay at LEAST a 10 percent penalty for your "crime", and to a bunch of slimeball assholes no less. My .02...I worked for two years for the San Francisco O. R. Bail Project and I'm proud to say got many people released w/o paying the bail extortion. Even got Lawrence Ferlinghetti out once...pissed in a cop car window when he was pissed....

What can we do as a group to see this option is considered? Brad isn't going anywhere but back to work when he gets out.

Posted by: redshift Mar 5 2005, 12:04 AM

The system works poorly.

M

Posted by: Kevin@ojai.net Mar 5 2005, 03:26 AM

I just chipped in $50, I hope it helps!

-Kevin

Posted by: KevinP Mar 5 2005, 12:45 PM

I told Karl this! Its a Califorina thing... You steal a car in Florida---say a Caddy SUV or a Hummer- get popped and walk on $2500 bail @ 10% for the bondsman=$ 250.00. I see it almost every day.

And the real sad part is that you can be accused by anyone,anytime, for almost anything. Sad system but the only one we have and thank God for Tort law if your wrongfully charged.

----------------------------
KP

Posted by: Gint Mar 5 2005, 02:46 PM

This thread has gotten too specific. I had hoped it would stay generic. I'm gonna close it now.

If you want to show support, there are a couple of open threads where it would be appropriate to do so.

Thanks!