How Bail Bonds Work in Mississippi

How Bail Bonds Work in Mississippi To Get Out of Jail Fast

When it comes to being released from jail, understanding how bail bonds work in Mississippi residents will have a better understanding of the system itself. While each state has their own rules and regulations when it comes to the bail bonds process, Mississippi does have a system that is remarkably similar to most other states. This is why bail bonds Mississippi defendants obtain after being charged with the crime are very important if they want to be released before their appointed court date.

The Bail Bonds System in Mississippi

When a person is arrested and taken to jail, there is a booking process that generally lasts for an hour or two before they appear before a judge to have a court date set for the crime they are accused of committing. At that time, bail will be set for release from jail until the actual court date which means that the defendant can return to their home for the time being.

How to Get Bail in Mississippi?

After booking and a bail hearing, the defendant will be given the opportunity to contact a bondsman. The jailer will either give them an approved bail bondsman call sheet or there will be an approved bail bondsman list located near the phones. At this time, the defendant will call a bondsman to ask about bail, explain the charges and the bail amount. The bondsman may then tell the defendant to have their cosignor call to make bail payment and sign the surety contract.

How much will bail cost?

In Mississippi, the Department of Insurance regulates the bail bond premium at 10% of the bond or $100 whichever is greater. But, if the defendant lives outside the state or the felony is deemed to be serious (murder, rape,) then the premium is $15% plus a $50 processing fee.
The bail bond fees are set by the Mississippi Statue 83-39-25 at 10% and 15% for serious felonies and any bail bond company offering lower bail bond fees are breaking the law.

How do I get out of a Mississippi jail as fast as possible?

Apart from being released under their own recognizance in which no bail is required, a defendant generally has four choices under Mississippi bail law:

• CASH BOND: You will have to post the entire amount of the bond to the court. This means that if your bail is $10,000 then you pay the court, $10,000. If you (or the defendant you signed for) goes to all court appearances and abides by the rules the judge sets forth while on bail (no drinking, drugs, committing more crimes etc), then the full amount is returned. The pros of posting the entire cash bond is that you will get all your money back after trial. The cons is that you will have to wait months, maybe even a year or more to get your money back if the trial drags on.
• PROPERTY BOND: This method of posting bond is a bit time consuming as the property you own will need to be approved and validated for the court. This includes paperwork proving ownership and worth. The court will hold a lien on the property until the trial or case has completed (guilty verdict, acquitted, charges dropped etc). The pros of using a property bond is that no money is changing hands since the court will post a lien on the property. The cons are that if the defendant skips town, the court will foreclose on the property if not paid the full amount of the cash bond.
• STAY IN JAIL UNTIL THE TRIAL DATE: For most people, staying in jail until the date of the trial may mean four to eight weeks or longer. Plus, paying the full amount of the bail in cash is generally beyond the means of most defendants which leaves the bail bonds agency.
• BAIL BONDSMAN: Use the Services of a Mississippi Bail Bond Agency. The pros are that you will only pay 10% of the full cash bond so the other 90% can be used on hiring a criminal attorney, getting your car out of impound after arrest, etc. The cons are that you don’t get that 10% back. The premium (the fee) is not refundable. As well, if the defendant doesn’t show up to their court hearings you will be liable for the other 90% of the bond plus any fees associated with apprehending the fugitive defendant.

How long will I stay in jail for?

In Mississippi, a defendant charged with a felony has the right to go in front of a judge within 48 hours of your arrest for a bail hearing. This time does not include holidays and weekends. If the charge is a misdemeanor, bail is preset by the court. You may be in jail for as little as 2 hours and up to two days depending on when you were arrested.

What happens if I miss court or don’t check in with my bondsman?

if you miss a court date, fail to check in with your bail bondsman, or fail to adhere to the rules of your bond by the court, your bail can be revoked. A bench warrant will be issued for you and the bondsman and/or bounty hunters will be looking to arrest you and place you back in jail. Once the bail is revoked the bondsman has 90 days with which to find the defendant and put them in jail, or the bond company is liable for the full bail amount. If this happens, the Mississippi bail bonds company will then file claims against your property and the cosignor property to be repaid.

How to Get Zero Down Bail in Mississippi

The way bail works in Mississippi is the same in other states. Except in Mississippi, zero down bail does not exist and is against the law. Unless, that zero down is for payments to be made during the course of the trial. So how to get zero down bail? You will start with good credit and collateral worth more than the bond. The 10% that is charged is not refundable and many Mississippi bail bond agents also have lending programs for those who may not be able to raise the amount in cash.

There may be some charges and fees when it comes to the lending itself which usually includes an interest rate and payback plan. However, for the most part the fees are minimal when applied to the law itself. In some cases, zero down bail may require some collateral for certain defendants depending on their record to help cover the total bail cost if necessary.

Defendants must understand bail bond law in Mississippi

If arrested in Mississippi, it’s important to know the basic laws about bail. One of the best places to read about them is in this article about Mississippi defendant bail laws.
When it comes to understanding how bail bonds work in Mississippi, defendants will need to do a little research to find the best agent to meet their needs. However, it is important to understand that all bail bond agents operate under the same rules and regulations when it comes to charging for their services.

For more information about Mississippi bail bondsman laws and company license search, please go the website of the Mississippi Bail License Search.