Bail Bonds in Scott County, MO – Ultimate Guide! Find Bondsmen, How Bail Works, Bail Costs

Ensuing an arrest, many bail bonds agents can come pick you up privately and post bail for your release, but it's important to know your bail options so you can better understand how bail bonds work in Missouri before committing to anything. Upon arrest anywhere in the state of Missouri, a person is usually processed at the local county jail. In order to be released from jail, several steps must occur, including being booked into jail and posting bail. When the bail bond amount is decided, you can call for a bail bonds agent to post the bond at the local jail. Using the service of a bail bondsman typically requires collateral and someone to co-sign on the bail bond. Once the release process starts, it typically can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to be released from jail. While cash bonds are permitted, it is normally not commonly done due to it's high expense. With a cash bond, you are required to pay the full amount upfront but you can get it all back after your court hearings. If you use a Missouri bail bondsman, you will pay a fee which you cannot get back, but you only pay a small portion of the entire bail amount versus paying 100% of the bond via your own cash payment.

Prior to paying in cash or using a Missouri bail bondsman, you will want to explore the possibility of being released with no charges being filed. If you feel you have been wrongfully arrested, you can contact an attorney to fight the case with immediate release. It's rare that the charges will be dropped, but in some cases it can happen depending on the situation. The other option is for the Missouri judge to release you through Own Recognizance (OR) which is typically used for low-level offenses with individuals who are low flight risk and not a danger to others. The judge essentially has high confidence that you will return to court for your trial. If neither of these options are possible, a bail bondsman is typically the best route to take.

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.

In Missouri, there is no maximum bail bond fee set for the private, commercial bail bond industry. However, bail bondsmen must have their set rate confirmed and listed with the Missouri Department of Insurance. This ensures consistency in fees charges.

Missouri does have it's own bail release system where you can pay a 10% bail bond fee to be released. Commercial bondsmen normally follow a similar 10% fee structure to stay competitive. Make sure to ask the jail about processing times for their bail bond program and then call commercial bondsman around you to see if they can get you or your loved one out of jail faster. It may take longer to go through the public court system for bail release vs using a bail bondsman. Some courts and jails use a interviewing system to ensure the set the right rules for the person being released, whereas a bondsman may move faster and simply as for the 10% fee, plus basic check-ins with the bondsman upon release.

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 Scott County, MO. Data is based on FBI crime statistics database.

We provide estimates on average bail prices for different misdemeanor and felony crimes in Scott County, MO. 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 Scott County, MO. 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 Scott County, MO, 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 Scott County, MO to help get people back on their feet.