When one is facing a potential arrest, it can be extremely stressful when you have to wonder when it will happen, who it will be in front of, and if you will have any time to deal with everything. It may not sound fun or ideal but if you know that you will in fact be getting arrested, turning yourself in can come with a lot of benefits. Here is what you need to know and how to go about surrendering.
Find out if there is actually a warrant
The first and most important step is to confirm that there is an actual warrant out. You are able to do this by getting in contact with any local bail bond agency. They have the ability to look up your information in a database and tell you if there is actually a warrant and if so, what the potential charges are. By knowing this, you are able to save yourself the headaches of wondering, and gives you the opportunity to take proactive steps to ease the situation.
See if you could potentially avoid arrest
This may not be known to many but in several counties, the courts will simply use what is known as a bail schedule to decide what the cost of the bond will be depending on the defendant’s previous history as well as the severity of the potential charges. This is typically done for lesser charges such as misdemeanors but if the warrant has already included a bond cost, then the bail bondsman will have the ability to help you pay the bond cost upfront and avoid an actual detainment altogether. It’s important to note that this will not mean that you won’t be charged or won’t have to go to court, but it will let you skip out on actually going to jail while awaiting a hearing. If there is no cost attached to the bond then unfortunately an arrest cannot be avoided, but there are things that can be done to avoid it being a surprise.
Why it’s better to turn yourself in rather than wait it out
Voluntarily going to jail may never seem like something anyone wants to do but in reality, if you know arrest cannot be avoided, it can actually help you in a couple of ways. The first if the obvious stress reduction that comes from not having to look over your shoulder at all times. When you take action and turn yourself in, you are cutting away the fear of wondering when and where it will happen. You will have control so you can go about your life like normal until then. The other benefit of taking action first is that it looks really good in the eyes of the court. When they see that someone has made the arrangements to turn themselves in, it shows responsibility and taking accountability which could potentially lead to a lesser sentence.
How to turn yourself in
If you decide that you are going to turn yourself in, there are a couple ways you can do it. Some may opt to work with a lawyer who will help negotiate the terms of surrender or to save money, you can simply go to the local country jail that is location in the county where the warrant has been placed. When doing this, you typically should not bring much beyond an ID and any medications that you will need. You can also bring cash if you want to try to pay a cash bond as well.
Overall, although it can feel intimidating, if you know that an arrest is inevitable it will be a lot less stressful and more helpful to your cause to just bite the bullet and turn yourself in first. If you are in the Mobile area and think you may have a warrant out, give us a call and we would be happy to help and verify the information for you!
