Did you know the United States and the Philippines are the only countries with a bail bonds system? Fortunately, if you have a loved one in jail and they need to get out, they have options. If the defendant or the family does not have money, there’s a way to find help.
The best option for you is to contact someone to help you with the process of gaining a bail bond. This process can be challenging to obtain if you have never done it before, but we encourage you to keep reading below to find out what a bondsman is and how they can help you and your loved one.
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What Is a Bail Bondsman?
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A bail bondsman has a state license to post bail for defendants facing criminal charges. In exchange, the defendant must appear in court for the bondsman to post bail for them.
Depending on the state, bail bond companies may demand a percentage of the bail amount. It varies according to state laws but can be between 10 and 20 percent.
What Does a Bail Bondsman Do?
A bail bondsman will provide the criminal courts a written agreement to pay the bail in full. The payment is for if the defendant shows or fails to show up for their trial date. A bounty hunter will search for the defendant if they decide not to show up to their court date.
When the defendant jumps bail there is a grace period for the bounty hunter to bring them back to court. During this grace period, the bounty hunter will do whatever they can to find and deliver the defendant to the court. After this, the bail money is returned to the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman will have to return the bond money to the court if the defendant doesn’t return it.
The bail bonds agent will take the collateral from the defendant’s family and friends to cover costs. Bank cards, houses, land, cars, jewelry, and other pawnable items are commonly used as collateral. So, the defendant should appear in court on the trial date, and everyone involved in the bail bond must follow the legal procedures.
How to Get a Bail Bond for Your Loved One?
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You can get a bail bond for your loved one in several different ways. A bail bonds agency is the most common way to obtain a bail bond, and you will need collateral. Another option is to use your own money to post a total amount of bail through the courts. As a third option, you can use your house or land as collateral. The judge can also let the defendant go on good behavior.
What Do You Need Before Calling a Bail Bondsman?
If you decide to use a bail bondsman, there are certain things you should know before calling one. Below are some things to know before calling bail bonds.
1. Full Name of Defendant
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You need to know the full name and proper spelling of the person who is needing bail bonds. Also, you should know their birthday since this is necessary to identify the defendant.
2. The Defendant’s Booking Number
A defendant’s booking number is another vital piece of information. If you do not know the defendant’s booking, then be sure to ask them before calling a bail bond.
If the defendant doesn’t know, you might need to contact the jail to find out the number. For bail to be issued, the booking number must be provided.
3. Location of the Jail the Defendant Is In
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The third piece of information you should provide to a bail bond agent is the jail’s location. Make sure you find out where your loved one is when they call you from jail.
For this task, you’ll need the name of the prison, the city, and the state. If bail bond agents do not have the correct jail information, it can be challenging to locate an inmate.
4. The Amount of the Bail Bonds
The fourth piece of information you will need is the amount of the bail. If you or the defendant does not know the bail amount, you can call the jail to find out. The bail bond agent may also be able to do this step for you if you’re unsure of how to do it.
5. Keep In Mind a Bail Bonds Is Considered a Loan
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When you’re contacting a bails bondsman, you must remember you’re asking for a loan to help post bail for your loved one. The bail bond agent pays the costs for the bail amount in exchange for the defendant to be temporarily released from jail.
If the defendants show up to court on the trial date, the bail money will be returned to the bail bond company. If the defendant decides to jump bail and miss the court date, then what you used for collateral is at risk of being taken by the bail bond company.
6. You Should Know if the Defendant Is Qualified for Bail
In some instances, a defendant may not qualify for a bail amount to release them from prison. A judge will determine if an arrested person meets specific requirements before giving bail to them.
Usually, it depends on the seriousness of crimes and if they’re a danger to the community or a flight risk to determine if they are allowed a bail amount to be released from prison.
What Else Should You Know About Bail Bonds?
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If you believe a defendant will not show up to their court date, then you must contact the bails bondsman as soon as possible. They can take the necessary steps to catch the defendant and keep them from jumping bail.
Remember using a bail bonds agency is like asking for a loan, so you do not want to risk losing what you used as collateral because a loved one does not want to face their criminal charges.
Now You Know What You Need Before Contacting a Bail Bonds
After reading this guide, you should now have a solid understanding of bail bonds and how to obtain one. If you enjoy our guide on bail bonds then visit our website to help you gain more knowledge on the subject. The next step for you to do is to contact a bail bonds agent to help get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible.
