When Cash Bail Reigns Supreme 👑: Situations Where Cash Bail Is the Best Option

Hey everyone, it's your friendly neighborhood bail agent from A-1 Bail Bonds back with another edition of "Jail Mail." Last time, we discussed why a bail bond was the smarter option for large bail amounts. Today, let's dive into why, for smaller bonds, posting cash is not only your best choice but often your only choice. But first, here are some tips for posting cash bail.

Pro Tips for Posting Cash Bail Effectively:

• Defendant Reliability: This is crucial. Cash bail is essentially a refundable deposit. If the defendant fails to appear in court, you lose the money. You know your loved one better than any bail agent. If a defendant is unreliable, save yourself the financial burden, and “take a pass on posting cash.”

• Financial Repercussions: Can you comfortably afford to lose the bail amount? Don't jeopardize your own financial stability if there's a chance the defendant might miss court. When court is missed, you lose your money 😵.

• Consult an Attorney (For Certain Cases): An attorney can be invaluable in navigating legal complexities, especially for specific charges. If the defendant has a professional license or needs military clearances, consider hiring a private attorney to expedite a case dismissal and potential arrest record expungement.

• Keep Your Bail Receipt: This document ensures a smooth refund process once the case is resolved. While getting a refund without a receipt is possible, having it on hand streamlines the process.

• Know Your Refund Location: Refunds for Abuse of Household Member and Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) bails are refunded at HPD. For misdemeanor or traffic charges, head to the District Court's fiscal office on the 4th floor at 1111 Alakea St. Understanding where to go saves you time and frustration.

• Electronic Money Transfers: The best options for money transfers are Venmo or Cash App. Zelle often has a $750 transfer limit, which won’t cover most bail amounts. The most successful clients primarily use Venmo or Cash App to send cash, since both have higher transfer limits and larger user networks.

The Reality of Bail Bond Costs:

Let's be upfront: providing quality bail bond services comes at a cost. While some may expect a quick $100 fix, unfortunately, that simply doesn't cover the costs required to provide the service. I go into great detail on the rigomorol the different government agencies place on bail agents for a release, so if you’d like to do a deep dive, click here. But for brevity, here’s a few quick reasons.

• Professional Wages for Licensed Agents: A-1’s licensed agents are reliable and always ready to head to a detention facility for a bail out at a moment’s notice. However, it can be difficult at 9:30pm to motivate an agent to spend 1-3 hours working for just $100; and did I mention the way law enforcement offices treat agents? Let’s just say, there’s very little differentiation between a “licensed agent” and a “suspect” or “accomplice” in their eyes.

• Operational Expenses: The court, Honolulu Police Department (HPD), and Sheriff's office all have constantly evolving procedures for posting bail. Each agency's process is unpublished, complex, and largely inefficient. That’s why each bail out potentially takes 1-3 hours depending on the shift processing the bail and the surprise requirements only disclosed to the public at the submission window.

• The Risk Factor: Forfeiture is a significant risk in our industry, especially for $1,000 misdemeanor cases. Fugitive recovery efforts are dangerous and time-consuming, making it more cost-effective to pay the forfeiture versus hire an agent to find a missing client.

Cash Bail Posting Common Mistakes🤯

• HPD will not accept cash bails from complainants in pending domestic violence cases.

  • This policy is NOT mandated by law or statute and could easily be argued to violate the rights of both the defendant and the complainant by restricting their ability to participate in a release.

• No court or law enforcement agency accepts credit or debit cards for cash bail postings, even though the Hawaii Revised Statutes allow for each.

• HPD requires exact amounts for bail payments. If you need to post a $250 bail and arrive with three $100 bills, you will be turned away from the submission window and instructed to obtain the exact change for the cash bail submission. 

• When cash bail is placed in a defendant’s name, only the defendant is required to appear in court, not the person who posted the bail.

  • For years, misinformation has circulated suggesting that the poster must attend court for a refund. However bail is designed to ensure the defendant's return to court, not the poster's.

We're Here to Help:

Even when cash bail is the best option, navigating the process can be confusing. You don’t know what you don’t know, and a simple posting can literally take an entire day unless you are intentional and informed. Our team is here to answer your questions and provide guidance. Additionally, if the bond amount is larger or the situation is complex, we can explore bail bond options that fit your needs. Feel free to reach out folks!

Cheers,

A-1 Nick