Your Guide to DUI Bail Bonds in Florida
A DUI arrest is always serious. At best, it means going through the court process. At worst, it could mean losing your driver’s license in the state of Florida or even going to prison. The good news is that those facing DUI charges don’t have to wait in jail until their court date rolls around, which could be weeks or months down the road. Instead, they can get work with a reputable Florida based bail bondsman to post a bail bond for a DUI. Once a bond has been posted, you will be released from jail and able to go back to living your life while you wait for your court date.
Who Can Be Charged with DUI in Florida?
Like many other states, Florida takes a strong stance against driving under the influence. The state has a 0.08% blood alcohol content (BAC) limit, meaning that if your BAC is higher than this, you can be arrested for DUI even if you feel completely unimpaired.
Depending on the amount of alcohol in your blood, as well as your criminal history, you could face felony charges in a worst-case scenario. This can mean a prison sentence if you’re convicted.
The Role of Bail Bonds
A day or two after your arrest, you’ll have an arraignment hearing. During your arraignment, the judge will determine the total bail amount for your case. That decision will depend on factors like the severity of the DUI, whether you have any previous DUI convictions, and your flight risk. Other factors include your current financial and employment status.
The judge could set your total bail amount ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 or even more. You need to pay that total bail amount in order to get out of jail before your trial. Someone without access to such a large amount of money could be stuck in jail until their trial, but a bail bondsman specializing in DUI bail bonds in Florida solves that problem.
A bail bondsman will post a bond to the court in exchange for a fee from you. The fee is 10% of the total bail amount. For example, if your total bail amount is set at $10,000, you will pay $1,000 to the bail bonds agency. In exchange, the bail bondsman will post a bond on your behalf and you will be released from jail until your hearing. This smaller amount of money is easier to come by, and many bail bonds agencies even offer payment plans to make the fee even more affordable.
DUI Bail Bonds in Florida: What Happens Next?
Once you have worked with a bonding agent to secure your release, you’ll be free until your court date(s). You are required to appear in court. If you don’t, a warrant will be issued for your arrest and the bail bond will be void. The bonding agent will also work to track you down and help return you to jail.
DUI bail bonds in Florida are important because they can help you live a normal life until your trial begins. If you have been arrested for DUI in Florida and you need a reputable bail bond agent, search our easy-to-use directory to find a bail bondsman near you. The bail bondsmen listed in our directory are ready to help you get released from jail while you await trail.