If someone you care for has been arrested and booked into a local jail it's natural to be flooded with emotions.  Some family members get frightened and want to get their loved one out as fast as possible.

In other cases, they get angry, and figure it may be worth letting the defendant sit for a few days in order to teach them a lesson.

Letting someone sit tight

When someone doesn't post bail bonds they'll need to stay behind bars until their case is over.  Their first court date will be within three business days and you'll want to keep in mind that weekends and holidays don't count toward that.

If the nation is celebrating a three-day weekend and the defendant is arrested on Thursday night, they might not see a judge until the following Wednesday.

During the first court appearance, which is also known as an arraignment, they'll be transported from the detention center to the courthouse in their jail-issued orange jumpsuit.  When they arrive, they'll have the chance to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges that have been filed against them.

What happens next

If the defendant pleads guilty the judge will issue their sentence.  If they plead not guilty, though, any number of things can happen.  Bail could go up, it could come down or in some cases it will stay the same.  The judge might also release the defendant on their own recognizance and make them promise to come back for future proceedings.

If the judge decides to remove bail, the defendant will no longer be eligible for pretrial release.  They'll need to stay in custody until their case is over.

From there, if the defendant is not released from court they'll be taken back to jail and if the family decides they do want to move forward with bail bonds at this point, they'll need to wait for the jail computer system to "update" with what happened at court.  This can take up to 24 hours and the jailer will not allow any bondsman to post a bond until this is complete.

Reasons to consider bail bonds

There are a few reasons families can benefit from hiring a bondsman as soon as the defendant is arrested.  One, the first court appearance will often be pushed back by about a month.  This gives the defendant time to consult with an attorney, talk to witnesses that can help support their case and to gather evidence that may be helpful when they see the judge.

It also means that when they do go to court, they can dress in slacks, a dress shirt and a tie, while women can opt for a skirt and business-casual top.  First impressions can go a very long way, and being able to dress up for court instead of showing up in an orange jumpsuit can go a long way.

The good news is that hiring a bondsman is a lot less complicated than you might think; many companies can help you 24-hours  day, 7-days a week. If you have questions about whether to post bail bonds and the benefits of doing that, be sure to speak with a local bondsman you can trust.