In the following detailed guide, our bail bond experts will outline everything you need to know about emergency bail bonds, and how to get one. Keep reading to find out more.
What Are Bail Bonds?
Before we look at emergency bail bonds specifically. It is important to have a good grasp of what bail bonds in general are. To do this we must first look at what bail is. Bail is a fee that is set by the court as a guarantee that a defendant will not abscond before their trial. If they do, or if they fail to show up for their trial the bail amount is forfeit.
With this in mind, bail amounts tend to be quite high, as they are designed to act as a deterrent. Courts will also consider the level of flight risk that the defendant has, including how serious and/or violent their crime was, and whether they have absconded before, and factor this into setting the bail amount.
This means that the bail amount will usually be far more than a person has to hand, and so they will need to ask others for the money or cash in assets to raise the funds. Additionally, many people use bail bonds to meet the bail requirements, the main benefit of which is that you do not have to have access to the full bail amount to be released from jail.
This is because a bail bondsman will pay the money for you and only charge you or your loved one a percentage of that amount now, as long as you sign a contract to pay the full amount over time. What this means is bail bonds are a popular and accessible way for people to gain the funds they need to be released from jail while awaiting their trial.
What Are Emergency Bail Bonds?
The legal system in this country can often move at what seems like a snail’s pace. However, when it’s your loved one sitting in a cell, getting them out and home as soon as possible is always a top priority. This is where emergency bail bonds come in.
Emergency bail bonds are bail bond agreements that are expedited to ensure the fund are available as quickly as possible. This allows bail to be made fast and ensures your loved one is at home safe with you, in the shortest possible time.
The great thing about emergency bail bonds is that they can be arranged over the weekend, during the night, and even over national holidays, when most other organisations are no longer working. Indeed, bail bondsmen that offer emergency bail bones work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to make sure your loved one comes home to you as fast as possible.
There are many reasons why you might want to get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible. One of these is if they have a medical condition where getting access to their regular treatment would be difficult while incarcerated. Additionally, in some cases, the nature of the charges against a defendant may mean they are at additional risk when in jail, so expediting their release is a way to maintain their safety.
How To Find A Good Bondsman That Provides Emergency Bail Bonds
There are several ways to find a reliable bail bondsman that can provide you will access to an emergency bail bond. The three most effective of which are discussed below.
Search Online
One option is to search online for emergency bail bondsmen. To do this is a good idea to do a local search for your area, as those will be the bondmen that understand the law in your region, and that will have experience with the courts in your location too.
Another great thing about looking for an emergency bail bondman online is that you can check their reviews. Look for a bondsman that not only displays positive reviews and testimonials from previous clients on their website but also links to independent review platforms like Google, Facebook and Yelp.
Get a Referral From Your Legal Team
Another great option to consider when looking for an emergency bail bondsman is to ask your legal team for a referral. This is because defense attorneys’ work will bail bondsmen in the course of their everyday work, and will know the best ones, and the ones that can get your loved one out on bail the fastest.
How To Apply For An Emergency Bail Bond
The good news is that emergency bail bonds are no more complicated to apply for than their regular counterparts. You just need to make sure you let your bail bondsman know that you want the bond to go through as quickly as possible at the start of the process.
After that emergency bail bonds work just like any other bail bond, which means the person that is requesting (paying) the bond, the Principle as they are also known needs to pay the bail bond agent a percentage of the total bail amount. This is usually set at around 10% of the bail amount.
Bail amounts will be set based on the court’s decision. Often courts will have set lists of bail amounts that related to specific offences. Although factors such as whether or not the defendant is a flight risk will also come into play. Indeed, if the defendant is classed as a flight risk, that is the court is concerned they will abscond and not attend their hearing, bail will be set at a higher amount. The idea of this is that if the defendant or their family pays this, they will be much less likely to leave and forfeit the bail amount.
It’s also worth noting that some bail bond provides the Principle not only to pay 10% of the bail amount to secure a bail bond but produce security against the rest of the bail bond that the bondsman is providing. This security or collateral as its also known can be in the form of a valuable asset such as a vehicle, jewellery, or even a property. Although others, including Balboa Bail Bonds, will work hard to find you a payment plan with no money down and 0% financing, as well as no collateral. Essentially transferring the bail debt to credit debt.
The Risks And Responsibilities Of Emergency Bail Bonds
Whether you take on the responsibility of paying your own emergency bail bond, or you asked a loved one to do it for you, you must understand the risks involved. Two situations could occur once a bail bond has been made, and each will be discussed below.
The Defendant Does Not Appear For Their Court Date
The first is that the defendant that used the bond to get out of jail does not appear for that court date. When this is the case the bail amount is forfeit because the defendant has not kept up their end of the bargain.
In a case where a bail bond has been issued, the bondsmen will have paid the full bail amount, and so the debt is then transferred onto them. This means they are now able to claim the capital provided by the Principle and use this to gain back the other 90% of the bond that they are now owed. Also when the defendant does not show up for their court date, the judge will issue a warrant for their arrest.
What all of this means is you should think very carefully before offering to be a Principle for someone’s bail bond. After all, you could end up losing the collateral you pledge, if they decide not to show up for their court date.
The Defendant Does Appear For Their Court Date
However, if the defendant does appear at their court hearing. The bail bond is not forfeited. This means the bail money is returned to the bondsmen, and in turn, they release any contracts concerning the collateral provided by the Principle. However, it’s worth noting that while the 100% amount covered by collateral is no longer at risk, bail bondsmen will keep their initiation 10% as a fee for providing the service.
Choose Balboa Bail Bonds For All Your Emergency Bail Bond Needs
Worried about a friend, family member or loved one in California that needs to get out of jail on bail ASAP? Then you need to secure them an Emergency bail bond with Balboa Bail Bonds.
Here at Balboa Bail Bonds, we work tirelessly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to make sure your loved ones don’t spend a moment more in jail than is necessary.
Our knowledgeable and friendly agents are available at all hours of the day and night by phone. You can also visit us in person for advice and to secure a bond, and we even offer a simple and easy-to-complete online bail bond application form, so you can secure bail for your loved one without even having to leave your home.
Here at Balboa Bail Bonds, we offer payment plans, with no money down and 0% financing. No collateral is needed in most cases either, which means we can help you get your loved one out on bail no matter your financial situation.
Call us anytime at 1-877-777-2088 or contact us on our website for free bail information, bail bond payment options, and court and inmate information.
Tags: Emergency Bail Bonds