If you aren’t quite sure what you need to know before you contact your bail agent, then you have nothing to worry about. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to get your bail posted, and what details your agent will need to know so that they can effectively handle your case. Take a look below to find out more.
How do Bail Bonds Work?
When you have been arrested, you will be given a date for your hearing. You will also be given a set amount for your bail as well. When this happens, it is up to you or your family to pay for the release. A bondsman can step in here as a third party if you are having a hard time raising the money you need. When you have had your bail posted by your bondsman, it’s really then a matter of making sure that the person who has been accused, shows up at all of the right court appearances. If the person who has been accused happens to skip out on bail, then the bondsman will seek them out and return them to court. Most of the time there is a grace period where the person who has been accused, can be returned to court, with the money being released back to the bondsman. It is the job of the bounty hunter to return the person who has been accused to court within this grace period. If the accused skips bail and they do not return, then the money that has been put up by the agency will be taken by the court. The collateral that has been used as security for the bond will then be taken, which is why it is so imperative that you follow all of the rules, and that you appear in court when you should.
What Information Do I Need When Contacting by Bail Bond Agent?
At the end of the day, it is very difficult for you to deal with the arrest of your loved one. It doesn’t matter whether this is their very first arrest or whether it is their fifth because you may feel less inclined to help if you have a repeat offender on your hands. Either way, when contacting your bail bondsman, you have to make sure that you have the following information to hand, so you can ensure that you get the best result out of your case.
Where the Jail Is
If you want to make sure that the bond is posted very quickly, then you have to know the location of the jail where the person has been booked into. This happens to include the county, the city, and also the name of the holding facility.
The Booking Number
Another thing you will need is the full name of the person and the booking number. At the very least you will need the legal name of the defendant so that the bail bondsman can then contact the jail about the inmate. If you do have the booking number, then this will speed things up a lot for you, so be mindful of this if you can.
How Much the Bail Is
Your bail agent should be able to find out this information for you, but it does help to have it jotted down for your own record. The agent will double-check the bail amount so you always know what you owe when it comes to the premium.
Guaranteeing Appearances
If you want to guarantee the appearance of the defender for court appearances, then the bail agent you go through will usually require a non-refundable fee. Most of the time this is around 10% of the bail amount. This will be used to try and secure the release of your loved one. The bail agent will then pledge the total amount to the court in the form of a bond. If you have a bail amount of $2,500 then the agent fee would be $250 in the state of California. Some agents will require some collateral from you, but this is not something that we ask for. When you come to us, you will be glad to know that we have no hidden fees and that we are always very happy to work with you to make sure that you are given the support you need to understand every aspect of the process.
What to Know about Contacting a Bail Bond Agent
If you want to find out more about the process before you contact your bail bond agent, then take a look below.
Know that you are Getting a Loan
You have to understand that your bail bond is essentially a loan. It will have some features that make it very different from a normal loan. What makes it different is that the court will refund the bail bond to the bondsman as long as you keep up your end of the bargain when it comes to general appearances.
You Will Pay A Fee
Another thing you have to know is that there will be a fee. This is how bail bond companies make a profit. They do not charge you interest over the duration of your loan. You will owe a fee regardless of what ends up happening in court. The fee will usually be based on the loan that you have taken out. You should know that the fee will always be less than the total bill, but either way, it is important to know that this part of the money is not refundable.
If you would like to find out more about our bail bondsman, then the best way for you to do this would be for you to give us a call at 619-333-5306. We are here to chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week so you can count on us to always be available and to make sure that we are always fighting in your corner to get you or your loved one out of jail as soon as possible. We have free price quotes, bail information, and a friendly service. We even have 0% interest financing, with our business being military veteran owned.
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