Do you have a loved one in jail? You may be wondering how to get that person out of jail.
In this article you will learn:
1. Your options for getting someone out of jail in SC; and
2. What “bail” and “bond” mean; and
3. How to physically get someone from jail when picking them up
Getting Out of Jail in SC
How did the person end up in jail?
For the purposes of this article, we are focusing on someone being in jail for reasons other than as a result of a conviction. In other words, someone has just been arrested and you want them out of jail. Or, someone was picked up on an arrest warrant and is awaiting their trial. Maybe the person was arrested by police after an investigation was conducted and an arrest warrant was issued. Either way, the person is now in jail as a result of a criminal charge but before any trial.
After someone is arrested, they are entitled to a bond hearing. If the person is granted bond, there are several types of bonds. For example, there are PR (Personal Recognizance) bonds and Surety bonds. If the person is granted bond, you then have the issue of picking them up from jail. If they are denied bond they have to stay there until their case is resolved.
Picking Someone Up From Jail
When you think of picking someone up from jail after they have been granted a bond, you would think it would be as easy as picking someone up from work, or any other place. You would think picking someone up from jail would be super easy, right? Unfortunately it isn’t, necessarily. It can take up to 4 hours to get someone out of jail in SC!
Click here to view a video Susan Williams made explaining how to get someone out of jail.
Why does it take so long to get someone out of jail?
Mainly, it is so that the folks at the jail and courts follow the proper procedure. You must wait on the Judge to sign an order of release. Once the judge signs the paperwork, the court sends the paperwork to the jail. The jail may be very busy working on other things when the documentation arrives, such as dealing with a lockdown at the jail, or bond paperwork from several different inmates. The jail may be busy booking other inmates in. The staff at the jail may be short staffed. There are a number of reasons that cause delays at the jail or at the court. If there are many inmates that are being booked out at the same time, the process can take even longer.
Getting Out of Jail When You Have a Bondsman
Once the jail receives the signed order from the Judge, if there is a bondsman involved, the jail may have to wait for the bondsman to arrive. The bondsman may be held up waiting on the bond money, working on other bonds, or waiting for the correct signatures and documentation. Once the bondsman has this, there may be additional delays if the person is going to be on electronic monitoring, meaning they will be wearing an ankle monitor. Getting the monitor’s battery charged, physically taking the monitor to the jail, putting the monitor on the inmate- all of these can cause delays.
What Happens Next?
Once the person is bonded out of jail it doesn’t mean your criminal legal problems are over. If you don’t already have an attorney, now is the time to seriously consider hiring one. If you are charged with a general sessions offense, you will be under a deadline of 10 days to request a preliminary hearing.
Having a criminal defense attorney may be a crucial step in making the difference in the outcome of your case.
Need help getting someone out of jail?
Have you or a loved one been released from jail and need to talk to a criminal defense attorney? Call Attorney Susan E. Williams for a free consultation. Susan also visits inmates at the jail who are denied bond or who cannot make bond.
Contact Attorney Susan E. Williams here.
