D.C. Bail Bonds: Can They Be Secured

For individuals in D.C., bail bonds options are rather limited. Although the District Of Columbia has a high rate of crime in many areas, there are limits to the types of bonds that can be used here. Unlike other areas of the country where commercial bonding agencies can provide bonds to criminal defendants, in the case of D. C. bail bonds, this can not be done. Here, they do not allow commercial sale of bail bonds.

In order to obtain a bond in this area, the individual will need to contact their local jail for more information on bonding options. The District Of Columbia is a non commercial bail state so only Federal and immigration bail bonds can be purchased outside of the county and city jails. While this makes it more difficult to secure funding for release from holding, it is law within the area.

If a criminal defendant is accused of a crime in this area, he or she will face a judge in an arraignment. This meeting will determine several things. It will set a time and date for the next trial appearance. It will establish charges for the individual and it will provide for the amount of bail needed for the individual to be released until their next court appearance is necessary. If bail is set, this amount will need to be paid in partial or in total to the court system through the jail. In some cases, the bail amounts may be paid in a percentage of the payments rather than in total.

This is the procedure at all of the Washington area jails including American University Police, Metro Transit Police and in the Washington DC Metropolitan Police. In the areas of Bolling Air Force Base, the Naval Air Facility and in other areas of Washington D.C., bail bonds must be obtained through the local jail department rather than coming from any bonding agency.

In the case of immigration bonds or bonds at the Federal levels, there may be some help working through a commercial bonding agency. It will be determined by the area in which the need is present and the terms of the case, in most cases.