It's natural for those unfamiliar with how bail bonds work to have questions. Most of the terms and practices can be a bit confusing. Read on for what you need to know about bail bonds so that you can act to get someone out of jail.
You Are an Indemnitor
When you act on someone's behalf to get them out of jail, you are known as an indemnitor, also known as a guarantor or co-signer. When you sign on for this task, you are responsible for making sure that the defendant appears in court as ordered. Otherwise, any property you have pledged can be forfeited. Although you cannot be held criminally responsible for the defendant, you may be financially responsible for them. If the defendant fails to uphold the bail agreement, you could owe the court the full amount of the bond, which could be thousands of dollars.
The Cost of the Bail Bond is a Premium
Bail bonds cost less than bail charged by the court because the bonding agency pays or guarantees the full cost for the defendant. In return, the defendant or the indemnitor pays the bond agency a premium. The premium is set by each state and can vary so phone your local bail bonding agent to find out more. For example, if the bail costs $5,000 and the bond premium is 10%, you must pay $500 for the bail bond. Once paid, the defendant is released.
The Agreement Spells Everything Out
You will be signing a bail agreement once you appear at the bonding agency. It's a legally binding contract that contains these elements:
Bounty Hunters and Skipping Bail
When a defendant doesn't appear in court, they have skipped bail. This action can result in a bench warrant issued by the judge immediately following the missed appearance. Law enforcement has the power to arrest the defendant and return them to jail. In some places, bail enforcement agents, or bounty hunters, are sent after a defendant that skipped bail to bring them to jail. They are usually hired by the bail bonding agency and must be licensed by the state.
Find out more about bail and what more needs to be done to get someone out of jail by speaking to a bail bonding service near the jail or courthouse.
Share5 April 2022
Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, I was always interested in how business worked. I spent a lot of time in my family's businesses watching the operations and trying to learn how to ultimately work for myself when I got older. Now that I am an adult, I'm still putting time into learning about entrepreneurship, start-ups, and small business management. I know that there are many people who would love to work for themselves but don't know where to start. I hope this site helps you to work through some of the basics and get started with launching your own business.