Bail Bonds in Washington County, UT – Ultimate Guide! Find Bondsmen, How Bail Works, Bail Costs

To better understand how bail bonds work in Utah, upon arrest anywhere in the state of Utah, a person must first be processed at the local county jail. To be released from jail, a few steps must occur, including being booked into jail and posting bail.

The bail amount is decided by looking at the Utah bail schedule which shows amounts per crime. If you don't agree with the bail amount set or can't afford a bail bondsman, then you can wait for your bail hearing with a Utah judge who can take more things into account for your bail amount. The judge may look at your criminal history, type of offense committed, flight risk, danger to others, and your financial situation before determining if they should adjust the bail amount set. This process takes longer and it's not a guarantee that your bail amount will be reduced.

With that in mind, most people that are arrested in Utah accept the bail amount that's initially set and pay via cash or they ask a bail bondsman to post the bail bond at the local jail. Once bail is posted, the release process starts and typically can take anywhere from one to two hours to complete. Using the service of a bail bondsman typically requires collateral and someone to co-sign on the bail bond.

It's important that you make all your court dates and meet all expectations of your bail bondsman dealing with any check-ins, alcohol/drug testing, or travel restrictions. Breaking any of the rules set with the bail bond and your release terms can result in you owing the full bail amount and potentially being arrested again.

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.

Utah has a range that bail bondsmen can charge for a bail bond fee. Per Rule R590-196-4, the minimum fee that can be charged is 10% and the maximum is 20%. This allows the bondsman to evaluate the risk of the individual and apply the appropriate cost for the bail bond. To give yourself the best option of a low fee, contact multiple bail bondsman to see what options they have for you.

Be sure to take everything into account when choosing your bail bondsman in Utah. It's possible that one bondman may charge you 10% for the bail bond but will put in place a lot of rules upon release. They may add contractual rules outside of bail bond fees, for example, requirements on tracking devices, check-ins, travel rules outside of the state of Utah and drug or alcohol tests. While you may save 5% on your bail bond fee vs another bondsman, is the 5% bond discount worth it to you considering the extra stipulations? They are not direct money costs, but they do take up your time from school and work and increase your risk of not meeting your release obligations.

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 Washington County, UT. Data is based on FBI crime statistics database.

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