Bail bonds play a critical role in the justice system today. As is popularly known, these are basically financial guarantees that let people skip jail time. The person can have a reprieve, but will then need to show up in court. Anyone who undergoes an arrest incurs a bail amount, which when posted (or paid) acts as a guarantee that they are not skipping court, but will undergo the whole proceeding to prove innocence. Bail bonds are arranged by a bail bondsman, and he is the one the defendant needs to make contact with.
Bail bonds fill an important need, and predictably, many businessmen are thinking of the same thing! Without bail bonds, accused people can just skip to the next city, scotfree from any liability, and out of the reach of the law. On the other hand, many have a mouthful to say about bail bond rules and regulations, but for now, many have by far the most agreeable and sensible terms.
Have a look at six good questions to ask when you are sizing up a bail bonds agency:
1. Any chance I could get my money back after the case is over?
Few exceptions exist, but there is no chance to get the premium back after posting it at the bonding office. This fee removes the defendant from undergoing being in jail, and once the defendant is no longer in custody, the fee is said to be fully earned. One way that the accused could earn a refund is if the bondsman fails to live up to the contract.
2. What does the bail process entail?
A shrewd bail bondsman must know how to explain everything in a plain and simple way. There is no business to do with a bond agent who is struggling with bonds rules and regulations.
3. How soon could I (or a family member) be out of jail?
No surprises here; bond agents have no control over when a detainee could be released. Paperwork and procedures could be fulfilled as fast as possible, yet the jail still decides as regards release.
4. What is your Better Business Bureau membership rating?
It’s worthwhile for a bail bonds customer to make contact with the BBB and see if the business has pending complaints. Any agent can claim whatever score they want, but there is no way to avoid the BBB rating.
5. What percent of the bail needs to be paid off to make a bond?
Reliable bail bond agent will offer 10% of the set bail. However, a bond agent who acts keen to secure a five percent deal may likely want only a quick contract (and a fast buck). Steer clear of agents that don’t comply with industry standards.
Moreover, in some states the bond fee is already fixed, and those who charge otherwise risk violation of local laws. Naturally, some bond agents are amenable to a payment plan for larger premiums.
6. What are the options for collateral?
Any valued, real property owned by the cosigner is valid collateral. Examples of collateral are a contingency mortgage on real estate, or a car title.
It’s really comforting to work with a bail bonds agent that offers transparency and honesty. It is worth spreading the word on bail bondsmen that are smart and up-front with your current financial capability, gaining the release of the defendant as promptly as possible.
Comments 24
I found it helpful when you said to find one that will be able to explain everything to you. My mom told me on the phone last night about how she wants to hire a bail bondsman to help us with getting our sister out of jail, so I wanted to make sure we knew how to hire the right one. I’ll keep these tips in mind as we search for a bail bondsman to hire.
Thanks for mentioning that an agent should have a good Better Business Bureau rating. I’d like to hire a bail bondsman for my brother who got arrested. I don’t want him to go to jail, so I’ll look up some local bail bond agents.
Thank you for explaining how a bail bondsman can help someone get out of jail after they’ve been arrested. My sister was arrested last night, so I want to hire a bail bondsman to help her get released as soon as possible. I’m going to search for a reliable bail bondsman in the area who I can use.
It’s great that you pointed out how bail bonds are arranged by a bail bondsman, and he is the one the defendant needs to make contact with. I was looking at a list of legal careers earlier and one of the things it listed was the bail bondsman. It is the first time that I learned about bail bondsmen, but their services are definitely useful.
Thanks for highlighting the fact that a bail bondsman can help you get someone out of jail. My father got arrested yesterday, so I’d like to find a bail bondsman to help him this afternoon. I’m going to see if there’s a good bail bondsman in the area that I can hire.
It really helped when you explained what you’d use as collateral when looking for a bail bond. A couple of hours ago, my uncle got arrested and thrown into jail, so my aunt’s looking for a way to get him out while everything settles up, and I believe your tips will help her. I appreciate your insight on how a bail bond works and how to afford one.
My favorite part of this article is the importance of attending court to prevent more problems. My cousin mentioned to me last night that his friend is looking for a bail bonds service that can help his brother get out of jail quickly. Thanks to this informative article, I’ll be sure to tell him that consulting a trusted bail bond service can help them with all their concerns.
I would like to look for a bail bond agent that may help me out since I’m being accused of thief charges. It also never occurred to me that I can offer my property in exchange. Thank you for clarifying here as well that it will be smarter to save enough 10% for the downpayment.
I never knew that a bail bondsmen will help you to consider collateral problems when getting into jail. We have been thinking about how to help my brother since he was arrested, and we are looking for advice. I will make sure to contact a bail bondsman to help us.
I agree that it is important to find a bail bonds agent that is honest. It is important to consider this as they can help you get the best option to get out of jail. Personally, I would want to find someone I can trust to help me with a process like this.
Rachel, I am very grateful for your article explaining how to find the best bail bondsman for your needs. You made a great point about how checking the BBB rating of potential bondsmen can help you see if they have any complaints. I think that it would also be smart to ask bail bondsmen for a list of references that you can contact to make sure they are reliable.
It’s good to know that a car title can be used as a collateral when it comes to getting bail bonds. A friend of mine might need to find one for his cousin soon because of some drug-related charges. I wonder if the state where they were arrested would matter largely in this case.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful article. Looking forward for more!
It’s helpful that you said the jail decides when you’re released even if everything is fulfilled because my brother is in jail right now. My dad and I are trying to get a bail bond so this was good information to know! I’ll be sure to tell my dad that we’ll be paying 10% of the set bail.
I like that you mention that the bail bondsmen that you work with should be able to help you understand the bail bonds process. My husband has a brother that gets into trouble with the law frequently. I think we should look into hiring a professional with experience in bail bonds services to help him.
It’s interesting to know that a bail bondsman will help you to explain everything about the bond process. My husband’s brother was arrested last night, and we are looking for advice about how to help him. I will let him know about the benefits of hiring a bail bondsman to help him.
I love that you mentioned that you should check the ratings of a bondsman before you choose who you want to hire as your bail bondsman. This morning our son got into some legal trouble while he was out getting breakfast with some friends, and is asking for us to bail him out, so he could be home before he has to go to court. To be sure that we could find the right service to help us bail him out, I will be sure to consider checking their ratings prior to hiring them.
I really enjoyed this article, as I have with many of your past features. I wanted to thank you for your informative guide and other helpful content. I’ve found a number of additional bail bonding features worth reading by the writing staff at Denver, Colorado bail bonds company, Tayler Made Bail Bonding. They meet all the criteria you just listed for bail bonding companies worth choosing.
It’s good to know that I should keep an eye out for bondsmen who seem to charge significantly more or less than they should. My brother got pulled over for being drunk last night and asked me to help post bail for him. I’ll make sure I find someone who seems like a reputable source to help me do that.
It makes sense that a bail bondsman does not have much control over when someone is let out of prison. It is still very good to know that someone would be filling out paperwork and working for you or your loved one to be released as soon as possible. I think if I or a family member were ever in the situation, it would probably be best to hire a bail bondsman service to help with the process.
I like how you mentioned to see if a bail bond company has any complaints against them on the BBB. It may also be a good idea to look at these types of reviews on other sites as well. One of my friends got into trouble with the law, so these tips may help him out. Thanks for all the great tips on getting bail bonds.
I like that you suggested going for a bondman that offers 10 percent of the fee because others ask for 5 percent, and they are only looking for fast cash. Personally, I have never hired a bondsman before, but I know someone that is going to need one. Thank you for the safety tip about finding the right bondsman.
I loved the tip that you gave to check when a bail bond service could help you before you choose to hire them. My wife was arrested last night on DUI charges, and I want to bail her out. I will be sure to look for a bond service that will be available as soon as possible.
My dad and I were planning to get bail bonds for my brother. Thank you for sharing that a reliable bond agent will offer 10% of the set bail. We’ll also keep in mind to check the BBB rating to ensure that they don’t have any pending complaints.