Bail Bonds in Flathead County, MT – Ultimate Guide! Find Bondsmen, How Bail Works, Bail Costs

Upon arrest anywhere in the state of Montana, a person is usually processed at the local county jail. In order to be released from jail, a few steps must occur, including being booked into jail and posting bail.

The court and jail are involved in setting the bail bond amount, and Equal Protection Rights exist in Montana to prevent excessive bail being set. Bail is in place to ensure there is enough motivation for the arrested person to show to court after release. If they don't show, they forfeit the full bail amount. It's a tough balance ensuring enough motivation exists while also not discriminating against those in low income groups who may not be able to afford the bail amount.

When the bail amount is confirmed, you can either pay in full with cash or a money order, or you can call a bail bond agent in Montana to post the bail bond at the local jail. The jail release process starts once bail is posted and typically takes anywhere from 1-2 hours to complete. Using the service of a bail bondsman typically requires collateral and someone to co-sign on the bail bond.

We highly recommend reading of our complete guide on how bail bonds work to learn more about the bail process. If you are attempting to bail someone out from another state, you can talk with your local bondsman - that's the bondman in your county, and not the state where the person is detained.

As defined by Code 33-16-203, Montana does not have a set fee structure for bail bonds costs; a private bail bondsman can charge any premium that works for their business. Typically the bail bond fee is around 10-12% or a minimum of $60, whichever is more. In Montana, the Sheriff's Department charges an extra $30 processing fee for the bail bond.

Knowing there is no set maximum for bondsman to charge, make sure to call around and check on different rates. The bail bondsman will ask questions and check on your record to ensure they know what risk they are taking in bailing you out. Their goal is that you will show up to all your court dates so they can get the bail back from the jail. If you are perceived as high risk, you may see a higher premium bail cost, so work with a few bondsman to see what they can do for you cost wise.

We recommend reading our guide on how much bail costs for a deep dive into fees bondsmen charge. It's also critical to understand that you do not get bail money back, specifically the 10% bail fee back from the bondsman.

Annual number of crimes that were reported to the police in Flathead County, MT. Data is based on FBI crime statistics database.

We provide estimates on average bail prices for different misdemeanor and felony crimes in Flathead County, MT. These are estimates since the exact amounts can vary substantially depending on your age, details involving the charge, criminal history, and prior record of not appearing to court.

• Assault – Ranges from $2,500 to $10,000 depending on type of assault
• Drugs – Possession of controlled substance can range from $500 to 2,500 bail
• Robbery - $25,000 to $100,000 bail amount
• Murder – No bail amount set or $1 million in some cases
• Manslaughter – Voluntary manslaughter $100,000 and involuntary starting at $25,000
• DWI / DUI - $500 to $2,500 depending on history and details surrounding the offense
• Public Intoxication – Typically $200 to $500
• Burglary - $20,000 minimum but up to $50,000 in some areas

Check our detailed guide to learn more about how bail is determined, find additional bail prices for crimes, and find out how bail can be lowered.

Key demographic data based on Census for Flathead County, MT. Much of this information can be useful for bail bondsmen who are prospecting the county as a possibility to start a bail bonds business. Education, income, and employment statistics are vital in assessing the overall risk of a population when it comes to lending money for bail. Median home values are useful to determine collateral for property bail bonds.

Unemployment data is based on Bureau of Labor statistics. Employment status is the single most important piece of information that bail bondsmen consider when deciding to bail someone out of jail. Having a job and an active income stream is the single most impactful reassurance bondsmen can have.

Property bonds are a good way of making bail if an individual has equity in their property but very little or no cash. By looking at the median home values in Flathead County, MT, we can roughly estimate the asset potential the county’s residents have.

We pride ourselves on our reader focused approach, which includes providing information on resources that may be useful.

It’s generally a good idea to get in touch with a lawyer to seek assistance for the trial, fair sentencing, and even to challenge the bail amount that is being set for the person you are looking to release from jail. Particularly when cash bail is set, it’s important that bail is set fairly, which is an area where a lawyer can assist.

If you need free or low-income legal help, you may qualify for assistance from the American Bar Association.

One of the shortcomings of the bail system is the time someone can be stuck in jail – it’s often enough time for a person to lose their job. To make matters worse, having a tarnished record further complicates matters. This is why we are listing reputable job centers near Flathead County, MT to help get people back on their feet.