FAQs When It Comes To Bail Bonds
If you're unsure with exactly how bail bonds work, it helps to learn a little bit more in case you are ever in a tight spot and are accused of a crime. Avoid jail time and being personally responsible for the full amount of the bail by showing up to all your appointed court dates.
When you are brought to court after being arrested for a crime or misdemeanor,
your bail is set. If you choose not to post bail, you will spend time in a jail or prison facility until your trial. Don’t think you’re saving yourself time and effort by choosing this avenue. It can take weeks, even months before a final decision is reached in a case.
It helps to get to know a little about what bail bonds are and the purpose they serve. If you’re confused about the way bail bonds work, here is some information on some common questions people have.
What is a Bail Bond?
In the simplest of terms, bail bonds are a contractor between a bail bonding company, the court that hold the warrant, the supportive friend or relative co-signing for your bail, and you. The amount of bail is based on the severity of the crime. It is money collected and held by the courts as an incentive for you to show up. It is a guarantee that you are not a flight risk to avoid going to trial.
What is a Bail Agent?
A bail agent is usually employed to maintain the interests of the bail bond company. Both the bail agent and your co-signer are responsible for making sure that you attend all of your scheduled court appearances during a trial. You will usually need to check in with them regularly as a condition of your release, too. An agent is assigned by the bail bond company to maintain their investment. They are counting on you to show up at an appointed time. If you do, once the trial is over, they will get their money back along with your bail bond fee.
What is a Bail Bond Fee?
Bail bonds are not free and clear loans from a bail bond company. They are not in the business of giving things away for free. However, most likely you will only be paying a small portion of the overall bail necessary to post bail. Still, it’s not cheap. Consider a $100,000 bail. Usually a bail bond company will charge around 10% of the full bail price, costing you about $10,000.
If you do not show up to your appointed time, you are in contempt of court and you will be sought out and put into jail. When this happens the bail is taken as a fee for your irresponsibility. When this happens, a bail bond company looses their money – sometimes millions of dollars. A search will be implemented in order to demand the bail money lost to be personally repaid. Repayment of the bail bonds can ruin your life, especially when they are upward of hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you need the service of a bail bond company, do everything right to avoid being on the run.
