After getting arrested, a defendant in Nevada is sent to jail until their arraignment. During the arraignment, the judge informs the defendant of their charges, and the bail amount is set according to Nevada’s bail schedule. The amount of bail depends on what crime the defendant is accused of since Nevada laws — not judges — set the amount of bail for specific crimes.
In Nevada, several types of bail and release options are available. Here are a few of the most common — and if you or a loved one needs to be released from jail, contact a local bail bondsman to learn what you need to do.
Surety Bond
Surety bonds, or bail bonds, involve three parties: the suspect, cosigner, and bail bondsman. In Nevada, a bondsman requires the defendant or their cosigner to pay 15 percent of the bail cost as a fee. The bondsman covers the cost of the bail, which allows the defendant’s release. After the defendant appears at trial, the court returns the bond to the bondsman.
If the defendant does not meet the conditions of their bail, including showing up to their court appearances, the bail is forfeited. Then the defendant must pay the remainder of the bail amount to the bail bondsman.
Cash Bond
Paying the total cost of bail is possible, especially if the bail isn’t set very high or the defendant has cash reserves that they can access. The defendant, one of their friends, or their family members pay the court with cash, a cashier’s check, or a money order. The court holds onto the cash bond throughout the duration of the trial. If the defendant fails to meet the conditions of their bail, they forfeit all the bond money.
On the other hand, after the trial is over and the defendants meets all the requirements of their bail, the bail money is returned, minus court and administrative fees.
Federal Bond
Approximately 30 million cases are tried in state courts across the United States. Only 1 million cases are tried in federal court. Bank robbery, serious drug offenses, kidnapping or murder that crosses state lines, civil rights violations, perjury, obstruction of justice, contempt, and larceny are a few examples of crimes tried in federal court.
Defendants facing federal charges must secure a federal bond to be released from jail while awaiting trial. A pretrial services officer will interview the defendant to learn about their ties to the community and if they are a flight risk.
Once bail is set, the defendant can agree to a personal recognizance release. However, if the bail amount is high or they don’t have the means to pay their entire bond upfront, they’ll need to contact a bail bondsman.
In addition to bail, the judge may order other conditions of release before the suspect can leave jail, including:
- Nightly curfew
- House arrest
- Surrender of passport
- Surrender of any firearms
Before the defendant posts bail, the federal judge holds an additional hearing to ensure the bond wasn’t paid for with money earned illegally.
Personal Recognizance Release
When a defendant is charged with a crime, the judge might grant a release on the defendant’s own recognizance, which means that they are allowed to leave without posting bail. The defendant promises that they will appear in court as instructed and that they won’t engage in criminal activity. Judges take several factors into consideration before allowing a defendant to leave the court room on their own recognizance, including:
- The defendant’s criminal history
- The defendant’s employment status
- The defendant’s ties to the community
If someone is released on their own recognizance, they still may have to follow special rules, such as regular check-ins with an officer or a curfew. The point of these rules is to ensure that the defendant will make their court dates and stay out of further legal trouble.
If the defendant doesn’t appear before the judge when ordered, their personal recognizance release is terminated, and a warrant is filed for their arrest.
Alternatively, the judge can decide whether to release the defendant on bail, house arrest, or intense supervision.
Citation Release
Instead of arresting a suspect and taking them to a local detention center, an officer can give the suspect a citation release. Otherwise known as a citation in lieu of arrest, a citation release is given to suspects of minor crimes, such as traffic violations. Suspects who take a citation release agree to appear in court at a certain date.
In many cases, securing a surety bond is the quickest way to ensure your loved one’s release from jail. If you have any further questions or need help posting bond for a friend or family member, contact the professionals at All Star Bail Bonds. Our experienced team will help you get your loved one out of jail quickly and with minimal hassle. Get in touch with us today.