After an arrest, bail is an immediate concern. The court may set bail immediately after the defendant’s arrest or at the defendant’s initial appearance. Under rare circumstances, and only for minor offenses, the arresting officer may be able to release the defendant after payment of a minimal amount, also known as “stationhouse bail.” To obtain a release on bail, the defendant must agree to the court-ordered conditions that restrict the defendant’s liberty. The amount of bail will vary depending on the criminal charges and the defendant’s circumstances. A defendant may benefit from negotiating bail with the help of a New Hampshire criminal attorney.

Some defendants need to work with a bail bond agency in order to post bail. A licensed bonding company will post the defendant’s bail in exchange for a fee. The bail bond agency takes on the role of suretor on the defendant’s bail. Using a bail bond agency may  make a difference financially. If the defendant pays bail independently, the court returns the money after the court completes the case. If the bond agency pays the bond and the court returns the bail funds at the end of the case, the agency does not generally return the fee paid to the agency by the defendant.

If the defendant uses a bail bond agency but does not appear in court, the agency may use a bounty hunter to find the missing defendant. If found and arrested by the bounty hunter, the defendant will return to court for completion of the criminal case.

A New Hampshire criminal attorney may be able to help if the defendant wants to post bail but needs information regarding his legal options. For a free evaluation of your case, or to learn more about posting bail and the consequences if the defendant fails to follow through with the court-ordered conditions, please contact experienced criminal defense attorney Sven Wiberg at 603-686-5454.