A Real 24/7 Bail Bond Company

Action Bail Bonding is a 24/7 bail bond company and that is a 100% fact. A person can be arrested at any given moment, at any hour of the day. Do the police ever shut down for a night? No. They work in shifts, right? If there is someone needed to be arrested at 3 am, they will arrest them.

Likewise, if there is someone who needs our bail bond assistance at 3 am, Action Bail Bonding will be there to answer. Action Bail Bonding believes in the right to bail and we are available to help protect that right. We will not make a family wait until the next business day to return their phone call.

Call Action Bail Bonding anytime you need a bail bond. Do not worry if it is 3 am or 12 midnight. We have bail agents available at all hours of the day, ready to help you. We can be reached online or by phone at 901-476-2245. Consultation is FREE, so you have nothing to lose if you call just to inquire. Feel FREE to ask any questions you may have. Inquire about zero down bail bonds and bail bond discount we offer to see if you qualify. We are always available and ready to assist you. We will not let you down.

For reliable 24/7 bail bond service, call Action Bail Bonding at 901-476-2245 or Chat With Us now.

What To Know About Bail Bonds & How It Can Help You

If a person who is arrested and granted bail, but cannot afford it, they should not give up hope. 100% cash bail is not the only option to posting bail. Bail bonds are the alternate solution that most people opt for.

Rather than paying 100% of the bail, the defendant and any loved ones willing to help, will pay 10% of the bail to a reliable and credible bail bond company like Action Bail Bonding. The defendant gets a custom, flexible payment plan so this 10% is broken up into smaller increments. Not all of the payment is due before the defendant can be released; the payment plan will continue after the defendant is released from jail.

The bail bond may also require a co-signer or collateral, but the Action Bail Bonding bail agent will go over the specifics with each family, as it is a case-by-case basis on what exactly is needed.

As long as the defendant continues to make their bail bond payments on time, shows up for their court dates, stays out of any other legal trouble, and abides by any other release terms and conditions, then the entire bail bond process will be successful. At the end, the 10% premium will not be refunded, but the collateral will be returned and the co-signer will be released from his or her duties.

You can learn more about bail bonds and how Action Bail Bonding can help you in your time of need by talking to one of our knowledgeable bail agents. We offer FREE consultations, so do not hesitate to reach out to us online or at 901-476-2245. Our bail agents will be more than happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have. Learn about cheap bail bonds and bail bond discounts we offer as well. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including holidays), so call us anytime!

For a FREE bail bond consultation, call Action Bail Bonding at 901-476-2245 or Chat With Us now.

At What Age Can You Leave Your Child Alone

Every parent has been there. They need to quickly run into town for something such as a gallon of milk, an emergency dental appointment, or to pick up something from work. You don’t want to bring your child with you, but you’re not sure if you’re legally allowed to leave them at home.

Tennessee’s Laws About Leaving Children Home Alone

At this moment, the State of Tennessee doesn’t have any actual laws that deal with how old your child has to be before you can leave them unattended while you run to the store. The only states that currently have such laws are Maryland, Illinois, and Oregon. However, that doesn’t mean you’re free to leave your two-year-old in the crib while you nip out for a quick breakfast.

Tennessee law makers believe that it should be up to the parent to decide at what age their child is responsible enough to care for themselves while home alone. The states that do have laws have set that age from 10-12. Child care experts are quick to point out that it should be determined from one child to another.

It’s also worth noting that there’s a big difference between leaving a ten-year-old home alone while you make a quick dash to the store and leaving them alone while you go on an overnight trip with friends.

Other factors that should be taken into consideration include:

  • How safe a neighborhood you live in.
  • Whether there’s anyone in the area that will keep half an eye on your child and property while you’re out of town.
  • If the child has enough safe activities to keep them busy and out of trouble.

Alternatives To Leaving Your Child Home Alone

If you are in a position do to work or another commitment where you can’t routinely be with your child when they get home from school, most child care experts suggest looking for an after-school activity that they can participate in rather than leaving them to fend for themselves. Good choices include art classes, school sports, and organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club. Another option is working out a deal with one of your child’s friends parents in which they watch your child for a few hours each week in exchange for you taking over other responsibilities.

Keep in mind that if your child gets into trouble because you have left them home alone, the law could consider you both criminally and civilly responsible for their actions.

 

What Are Hate Crimes?

When you look at one of the sites that cover news in a major Tennessee city, you’ll likely see at least one leading story that is connected to a hate crime. Most of the articles talk about someone who was injured because of a hate crime, has been arrested in relation to a hate crime or it’s about a local anti-hate crime protest.

What separates hate crimes from other types of crimes is that hate crimes actively aren’t about a personal connection. The driving reason behind hate crimes is that one person (or a group of people) represents a group that the perpetrator feels threatens them. Hate crimes can involve race, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

The Department of Justice is quick to point out that in the case of hate crimes, the word hate is a bit misleading. Normally, hate is used to describe an intense and negative emotion, but in this situation, it is used to describe bias.

Hate crimes are a huge problem. While only one person might be an actual victim, the end result is that a single hate crime creates a ripple effect so that it impacts friends, family and even a community’s reputation.

Tennessee lawmakers are so worried about hate crimes in the state, that they’ve created a single, separate law to deal with the issue. Tennessee hate crimes are addressed in Penal Code Sections 422.55, 422.6, 422.7 and 422.75 PC.

In Tennessee, you can be charged with a misdemeanor hate crime or a felony hate crime.

If convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime in Tennessee, you can be sentenced to a full year in a county jail and required to pay a maximum fine of $5,000, plus restitution. Some judges will settle for sentencing you to probation instead of actual jail time. You can also be required to complete up to 400 hours of community service.

If you’re convicted of a felony hate crime, Penal Code 422.75 PC section D states that “a person who is punished pursuant to this section also shall receive an additional term of one year in the state prison for each prior felony conviction on charges brought and tried separately in which it was found by the trier of fact or admitted by the defendant that the crime was a hate crime. This additional term shall only apply where a sentence enhancement is not imposed pursuant to Section 667 or 667.5.”

In many cases, additional charges, such as aggravated assault, are also filed.

 

Is It Legal to Break a Window to Save a Child or Pet from a Hot Car

Summer is in full swing. Not only does this mean that the kids are out of school for the season, but the temperatures are at their peak. Summer holds a number of problems for parents. Not only do they have to try to figure out what to do with their children while still managing their normal work schedule, they also have to make sure their kids keep cool.

Nobody likes being in the heat for prolonged periods, and young children are especially susceptible to high temperatures. Younger kids don’t know how to take care of themselves and have to rely on their parent’s judgement. This means that a parent should never leave their child unattended in a hot situation.

One particular situation that might seem obvious to some, but is still shocking to others, is leaving a child alone in a car on a hot day. Some parents still think that this is an acceptable thing to do, but that is not the case. Something as simple as this can turn dangerous, or even deadly, in minutes.

Cars Equal Ovens: How Hot Does Your Car Get?

While driving a vehicle on a summer day, people often have the air conditioner cranked to the max. This fills the cars with cool, comfortable air while it is being driven. However, the minute the car is shut off, this cool air disappears. Some parents believe that this cool air will last for five minutes while they are in the store. Their kid should be fine in the car alone for just a few minutes, right? Wrong.

Cars are like giant, solar-powered ovens. Many people know the unpleasant experience of going down a metal slide on a hot day as a kid. Just touching metal that has been in the sun for a little bit is unpleasant, try being inside of it. On top of that, the glass windows of cars act like a magnifying glass and amplify the Sun’s rays. This, combined with the lack of air movement inside the vehicle creates an oven that even cracking the windows or parking in the shade can’t fix.

Cracking the windows just a little bit does not allow enough air movement to cool the car down. Anyone who has ever been stranded on the side of a desert road will attest to the fact that even having the door fully open doesn’t allow enough air movement inside the vehicle. Parking in the shade may slow the process slightly, but the hot air surrounding the vehicle will still increase the interior temperature of the vehicle.

Most experts agree that once the outside temperatures reach 75 degrees Fahrenheit, it is too hot to leave anyone in a vehicle. At this temperature, the inside of a car can reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes. If the outside temperature is 80 degrees, then the inside temps can reach 100 in just 10 minutes.

Basically, don’t leave anyone, child or pets, unattended inside a vehicle in weather that is warmer than 70 degrees.


When to Smash a Window to Rescue a Child or Pet Locked in a Hot Car

Unfortunately, people still have a tendency to leave children, and pets, inside their vehicles while they make a “quick” trip into the store. An estimated 22 kids have died in 2018 after suffering from heatstroke caused by being left alone in a car. This causes many people to want to help out if they see a child, or even a pet, alone in a vehicle on a hot day. However, this is a bit tricky in Tennessee.

Last year, in 2017, the state of Tennessee passed a law that allows people to break into vehicles in order to save the life of an animal trapped inside. AB 797 amended Tennessee Civil Code and Penal Code to ensure that a person who damages and/or trespasses within a vehicle will not face any criminal charges if the damage and trespass occurred while rescuing an animal from the vehicle. The protections only occur if they are breaking into the vehicle that was the last resort and that other methods were not tried first. This means that before anyone springs into action, they should first call 911. The operator can send help and may be able to guide the person through some other ways of getting into the car without causing large amounts of damage.

It is important to note that the law specifically states this only happens when the person is rescuing an animal, not a child. The law makes no mention of protection if the actions are done to save a child’s life. This means that legally, you cannot break into a car to save a child inside who is suffering from heat stroke. If you see a child alone in a vehicle on a hot day, alert the proper authorities immediately, and stay close to the vehicle to keep an eye on the situation.

Summer Heat Is Here to Stay

As the summer progresses with its intense heat, parents need to be aware that they should never leave their child, or pet, inside a vehicle on a hot day. Several kids have already died this year to heatstroke cause by doing this, which is something no parent wants to face. If the kids can’t be left at home, then they need to go into the store with their parents. Simple as that.

If a person comes across a vehicle in a parking lot with a pet locked inside on a hot day, he can break into the vehicle to rescue the animal. Provided he has tried every other option and has contacted the local authorities already.

When it comes to finding a child in the same situation, legally, the person cannot break into the car. He should contact emergencies services and proceed from there. Once he has done that, his next move is up to him.

 

Mail Theft Laws In The US

As people are forced to stay within their homes, many previously easy tasks have become a little more difficult and stressful. For instance, going grocery shopping is now a much bigger chore than it was a few months ago. One particular task that remains completely unchanged for some, and more difficult for others, is going to get the mail.

For those people who have a mailbox right outside their house, there hasn’t been much of a change. However, not everyone has a personal mailbox. A lot of people have PO boxes either at one single spot on the side of the road in their neighborhood or at a local post office. Checking these has become a little more difficult since they require going out in public.

Due to the lockdown, a lot of people are checking their PO boxes less frequently and crooks are aware of this. With more free time on their hands and a surplus of easy targets, crooks are stealing mail more and more during this lockdown.

The U.S. Definition Of Mail Theft

Mail theft is illegal both at the federal and state level here in Tennessee. Title 18 of United States Code 1708 defines the crime of mail theft for the entire country. In a very legalese way, the law states that anyone who takes or tampers with mail that isn’t addressed to them without permission from the recipient with the intent of committing a crime is guilty of mail theft and should be punished by a fine and no more than 5 years imprisonment.

Some of the acts that are included in this definition include:

  • Taking mail from someone’s mailbox.
  • Taking mail from the post office or a delivery vehicle.
  • Using fraud or deception to take someone else’s mail.
  • Opening someone else’s mail.
  • Taking the contents of someone else’s mail.
  • Destroying someone else’s mail.
  • Hiding someone else’s mail.
  • Buying or receiving known stolen mail.

Another important aspect that needs to be defined is what counts as mail. Under this law, the following can all be considered “mail:”

  • Letters
  • Mailbags
  • Packages
  • Postcards

Acts that aren’t considered mail theft include opening a loved one’s mail since family members usually have permission to open one another’s mail. Any time a person has permission from the recipient or isn’t intending to commit a crime, they aren’t guilty of mail theft.

Tennessee’s Mail Theft Law

Here in Tennessee, Penal Code 530.5e explains what counts as mail theft in the state and what the consequences of the crime will be. This law states that anyone guilty of mail theft, as described in Section 1708 of Title 18 of the US Code, is guilty of a public offense here in Tennessee.

If a person breaks into a community PO Box, then they are guilty of mail theft under federal law. The same holds for people who take packages off of porches. If a person does either of these or anything similar to this, then they will be guilty of mail theft here in Tennessee.

Mail theft is considered a misdemeanor crime here in Tennessee. The penalties for the crime are:

  • A max fine of $1,000.
  • Up to one year in county jail.
  • Misdemeanor probation.

Don’t Let The Mail Pile Up

Dealing with lockdowns and daily life under this pandemic can be rough. Mail theft makes it all that much more annoying. The best way to avoid mail theft is to regularly check for mail. Don’t let it pile up in the box. Doing so could leave valuable personal information in a less than secure spot that crooks can easily access and then use to commit identity theft.

If a person has been a victim of mail theft, then they should report the incident to the local authorities right away. Despite the lockdowns, they are still out their protecting and serving in every way that they can.

 

Co-Signing For A Loved One’s Bail

One of the worst middle of the night calls you’ll ever get is a loved one telling you that they’ve been arrested. There usually isn’t much you can do after the initial call. Soon your loved one will find out how much their bail is and will likely call you again.

In many cases, the bail is a small enough amount that you’re able to come up with the money on your own, but sometimes it’s just too much for you or your loved one to handle.

If your incarcerated loved one decides to contact Action Bail Bonding and request that they need help with bail, there’s a chance you’ll be asked to co-sign.

Is A Bail Co-Signer Necessary?

Just because your loved one has contacted Action Bail Bonding it doesn’t mean that you’ll have to co-sign. One of the reasons we’ve become the best bail bond company in Tennessee is because we don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach to bail bonds. When we are contacted, we dig deep into your loved one’s history. Based on what we find we decide if:

  • We’ll let them make payments.
  • If they have collateral we’ll accept.
  • If they get a discount.
  • If they need a co-signer.

If You Have To Co-Sign For Bail

If you do have to co-sign for your loved one’s bail, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

First, you’re co-signing for the entire amount of the bail and not just for the ten percent we’ll keep after your loved one’s case.

If your loved one fails to make one of their court appearances, you’ll be responsible for reimbursing the entire amount of the bail to us.

If you decide to co-sign for your loved one’s bail, keep in mind that you’ll likely be using some tangible property, such as a home, car or jewelry as collateral. If your loved one fails to appear in court, we’ll take the items.

Because you have a vested interest in the case, you do have some rights. For example, if something happens to shake your faith in your loved one and you suddenly decide that they’re not going to show up for a court date, you can contact us and we’ll see that their bail is revoked and they will be arrested.

At the end of the day, only you can decide if your loved one will be a flight risk. If you’re confident that they’ll behave themselves and make their court dates, agreeing to co-sign for their bail is an excellent way to develop a closer relationship and also gain their loyalty.

Are you thinking about co-signing for a loved one’s bail? Contact Action Bail Bonding for a FREE consultation at 901-476-2245 or click Talk To An Agent Now to chat.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bail

Here at Action Bail Bonding, we have learned that most people have a whole lot of questions about bail and how it works. Luckily for our clients, our bail agents are more than capable of answering any questions about the bail process.

In fact, in order to help you out, here are some of the most commonly asked questions:

  1. How Much Does A Bail Bond Cost?
    The exact price of a bail bond varies from case to case. However, all of our bail bonds cost 10% of the bail that they are for. This means that if someone’s bail is set at $20,000, then the bail bond will only cost $2,000.
  2. Do You Offer Discounts?
    Yes, we can offer a 20% discount on the cost of the bail bond, meaning you would only have to pay 8% of the full bail price. To qualify for this discount, you or one of the co-signers for the bail bond needs to be a homeowner, have a private attorney or be a member of the military, AARP or a union.
  3. Can I Make Payments?
    Yes, we provide all of our clients with personalized payment plans to help reduce the cost of the bail bond. With these plans, you only have to make one payment before your friend or family member will be released from jail.
  4. How Much Is The Interest?
    We don’t charge any interest on our payment plans.
  5. How Long Does The Release Take?
    The length of a person’s release process is largely dependent on the jail where they are being held. Larger jails have more inmates, and therefore more paperwork to process daily, which can slow down the release process. Some jails can have a person out of jail in a few hours, and others can take up to a day to process the paperwork.
  6. Can You Bail Someone Out Of Jail In Nevada?
    No, we cannot. Action Bail Bonding is only licensed to post bail here in the state of Tennessee. We cannot bail someone out of jail in any other state.

This is just a few samples of the questions that our bail agents answer daily. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to call and talk to one of our professional bail agents. All consultations are FREE and we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including holidays). You can count on Action Bail Bonding to be there for you whenever you need us. Call us today!

Bail help is only a phone call away at Action Bail Bonding, call 901-476-2245 or click Talk To An Agent Now to chat.

 

Tennessee’s Stand Your Ground Laws

The last thing anyone wants is to be put in a dangerous situation where they need to defend themselves from an attacker. Unfortunately, this situation does happen on rare occasions. As if this wasn’t bad enough, there are some states in the US that don’t allow people to defend themselves with any means necessary. This means that in some states, a person who may have killed someone in self-defense, could actually face murder charges.

Due to this fact, a person needs to be aware of their state’s laws when it comes to self-defense, particularly stand your ground laws.

Castle Defense

Here in Tennessee, the state does not have a stand your ground law, but it does have a Castle Doctrine. Penal Code 198.5 allows a person to use deadly force within their own home so long as certain worries arise. As long as all of the following occurs, a person is allowed to use deadly force to protect their home:

  • A person broke into their home.
  • The intruder was not a law enforcement officer doing their job.
  • There was reasonable fear of death or injury for the homeowner or a family member.
  • The occupants of the home didn’t provoke the intruder.

In those instances, a person can do whatever they need to in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from harm.

Self-Defense While Out

The problem with Penal Code 198.5 is that it only applies when a person is in their own home. It doesn’t give a person the right to defend themselves while out in public. This is where stand your ground laws come into play in other states. These laws grant a person the ability to do what they feel they need to in times of distress in order to protect themselves from an attacker.

Tennessee does not have a particular stand your ground law. However, Tennessee does recognize that there are times where a person may need to use deadly force in order to defend themselves. Tennessee Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) 505 and 506 instruct jurors to find defendants innocent of crimes such as homicide or assault if the person acted reasonably under the given circumstances, specifically:

  • The person reasonably believed they were in danger of being hurt or killed.
  • The person reasonably believed they needed to use force to keep themselves safe.
  • The person used only the amount of force necessary to protect themselves.

As long as a person followed the above, they should be found innocent.

In some states, a person needs to run away from a threat before they are legally permitted to use deadly force. That is not the case in Tennessee. As long as a person is defending themselves from threat of injury or death, they can do whatever they reasonably feel they need to in order to survive.

Stand Your Ground Vs. Castle Defense

While both stand your ground laws and castle defense laws refer to a person defending themselves from an attacker, they are not exactly the same. Stand your ground laws apply wherever a person may be while castle defense only applies when a person is within their own home or a few select places, such as their car.

No one ever wants to need to defend themselves, but the need can arise in rare instances. If a person ever finds themselves needing to protect themselves in Tennessee, they can rest easy knowing that the state will not fault them for doing whatever they felt was necessary to protect themselves during the situation.

What do you think of Tennessee’s take on stand your ground laws and castle defense?

Should people be allowed to use reasonable, even deadly, force in order to defend themselves from an attacker? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.