Bail Bonds - Case Bail Bonds

What is a Bail Bond?

A bail bond is a financial agreement made between a defendant (or their representative) and a bail bondsman to secure the release of the defendant from jail while they await their court date. It acts as a guarantee to the court that the defendant will appear at all scheduled hearings.

How Do Bail Bonds Work

When someone is arrested, they may have the option to be released from jail while awaiting trial by paying bail. Bail is a set amount of money that acts as insurance between the court and the defendant. Since bail amounts can be expensive, many people cannot afford to pay the full amount upfront. This is where bail bonds come in.

Arrest and Bail Setting

After an arrest, the defendant is taken to jail and a bail amount is set by the court. The bail amount is based on factors such as the severity of the crime, the defendant’s criminal history, and the risk of them not appearing in court.

Contacting a Bail Bondsman

If the defendant or their loved ones cannot afford the bail amount, they can contact a bail bondsman. The bail bondsman provides a bail bond, which is essentially a promise to the court that the bail amount will be paid if the defendant fails to appear in court.

Paying a Premium

The defendant (or their family) pays the bail bondsman a non-refundable fee, typically 10-15% of the total bail amount. For example, if the bail is set at $10,000, the fee to the bondsman would be $1,000 to $1,500.
In addition to the fee, the bondsman may require collateral (e.g., property, vehicles, jewelry) to secure the bond in case the defendant does not show up to court.

Bail Bond Issued

Once the fee and collateral (if required) are arranged, the bondsman posts the bail with the court, allowing the defendant to be released from jail. The defendant must agree to appear at all scheduled court dates.

Court Appearances

The defendant is required to show up for all court dates. If they do, the bail bond is dissolved once the case is resolved (regardless of whether they are found guilty or innocent), and the collateral is returned. However, the bondsman keeps the non-refundable fee.

Failure to Appear

If the defendant fails to appear in court, the bond is forfeited, and the bail bondsman is responsible for paying the full bail amount to the court. In this case, the bondsman will use the collateral to cover the costs and may hire a bounty hunter to track down the defendant.

If the defendant meets all court obligations, the bond is dissolved, and the case proceeds. However, if the defendant fails to appear, the bail bondsman is responsible for paying the full bail amount to the court, and may use collateral (such as property or valuables) to cover the cost.