When someone is arrested and placed in jail in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, their first concern is usually how to get out.
The good news is that, with exception of those being held without bail, every citizen has the constitutional right to have bail set for their release, in a timely fashion and at a reasonable amount.
The bad news is that if you don’t have money to post bail, getting out of jail can be a bit more costly.
Basically, to get out of jail in Tahlequah, you need to:
- post bail,
- obtain a bail bond, or
- be released on your own recognizance.
Bailing Out Of A Tahlequah Jail
Posting bail is the fastest way to get out of jail in Tahlequah. You will usually appear before a judge within 24 hours of your arrest, unless you are unlucky enough to be arrested over the weekend.
The judge will then set the amount of bail that you must pay (post) as assurance that you will return to stand trial. The judge will set your bail at an amount that he or she believes is high enough to provide sufficient incentive for you to return for trial. Typically, the more serious the offense, the higher the bail.
After your bail is set, you can pay this amount in cash (or a cash equivalent) and get out of jail, pending the outcome of your trial.
If you meet all of your court dates, the court will return your money minus a small administration fee and any fines levied against you.
However, if you do not show up for trial, you will forfeit your bail and the state will issue a warrant for your arrest.
If You Don’t Have Money For Bail
If you can’t afford to post bail yourself, and you do not have any friends or family who can do it for you, you may hire a bail bondsman to bail you out in exchange for a nonrefundable fee, usually 10% of your bail amount (the bond). For example, if your bail was set at $10,000, you will have to pay a bondsman $1,000 to help you get out of jail in Tahlequah.
In order to obtain a bond, however, the bondsman may require you to pledge some form of collateral. If you do not return for trial, the bondsman will confiscate the collateral and employ the services of bounty hunters to locate you and bring you back to stand trial.
Get Out of Jail In Tahlequah On Your Own Recognizance
Another way to get out of jail in Tahlequah is to be released on your own recognizance, which means that you may be released from jail by simply promising to return for your trial.
Usually, this only happens if you have been arrested on a low-level offense and you are not considered a flight risk. It will also help if you have no significant criminal record and are a member of the Tahlequah community where you have close family, work, or business ties.
Summary
To summarize, to get out of jail in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, you need to either post bail, obtain a bail bond, or be released on your own recognizance.
Either way, once you have been arrested, it is extremely important that you contact an experienced Tahlequah attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can advocate for you to be released on your own recognizance or to have your bail amount reduced to something that you or your family can afford.
In addition, most criminal defense attorneys know reputable bondsmen to whom they can refer you if you or your family cannot afford to pay the bail amount.
Initial Consultation: Tahlequah Criminal Defense Attorney
For a low-cost consultation with a Tahlequah criminal defense attorney, call 918-458-2677 or toll free at 1-888-447-7262.
Or, as always, you may enter a legal question in the form at the top right of this page.