How to Get Released from Jail As Quickly As Possible

You’re in jail. You’re alone. You’re worried. What do you do?  Oftentimes, the first thoughts of every arrestee are immediate release. The most common path to release is making bail.

Bail can take the form of cash, a bond, or property given to the court by the arrestee. This is an assurance to the court that the arrestee will return to the court when ordered to do so. The amount of your bail depends on the severity of the crime, as well as your risk of flight, and is subject to a judge’s discretion to take into account aggravating or mitigating factors.

While there are many release options, the most common are:

1) Cash or Check in Full Amount: This occurs when the arrestee is able to pay the entire bail in full.

2) Surety Bond/Bail Bond: This is used when the arrestee is unable to pay in bail in full. The process begins with contacting a bail bondsman. A bail bondsman then promises to pay the full value of the bond if the arrestee doesn’t appear for his court date. In return for these services, the bail bondsman will charge a premium, usually 10% of the bail.

3) Own Recognizance: Sometimes an arrestee may be released on his own recognizance, meaning, he is responsible for showing up for his court dates. These are usually given to those charged with minor, nonviolent crimes and where the defendant is not considered dangerous or a flight risk, meaning, one who has a high likelihood of fleeing.

4) Citation Release: These are usually given to less-serious offenders. An officer will give the arrestee a citation telling the arrestee that he must appear at the indicated court date. In this case, there is no booking procedure and depends on the arrestee’s voluntary return to court.

5) Property: A defendant may sometimes be able to use property as a bond if the court gets a lien on the property in the amount of the bail. Thus, if the arrestee doesn’t show up for his court date, the court forecloses on the property to recover the price of bail.

If you are unsure of how to get released from jail as quickly as possible, contact a local Maryland defense lawyer for advice today at (301) 854-9000.