What is bail?
Bail is a way of ensuring that the defendant will return to court for his trial by allowing the defendant to offer money or collateral in return for release from jail. If the defendant fails to show up at court dates, the money is forfeited.
What is bond?
A bond is an agreement between a defendant, a bondsman and the court that ensures that the defendant will show up for all pending court dates. The defendant offers money or collateral for his release, and if he fails to show for a court appearance, any collateral or money is forfeited to cover the full amount of the bail.
What is collateral?
Collateral may be a requirement of the bondsman. It is anything of value such as cash, real estate, vehicles, jewelry or anything else with enough worth that can be sold to pay the bail if the defendant skips.
Who can offer collateral?
Anyone can offer collateral, but it is typically provided by the defendant or a friend or family member. Putting up collateral is not a decision that should be made lightly. If the defendant decides to not show up for their court date, any collateral will be forfeited.
What if I have no collateral?
We may be able to offer a bond for you with no collateral under certain circumstances.
What if the defendant doesn’t show up for court?
Failure to appear results in an arrest warrant for the defendant and the bondsman or a recovery agent will find him and return him to jail. Bail will be revoked. It may be the responsibility of the defendant to pay any costs associated with his recovery, and collateral will be sold to pay for the bail. If you have put up collateral for someone and you find out they are planning on skipping their court appearances, call your bondsman immediately because there may still be time to clear up the problem and avoid forfeiture.
Should I pay the bail in full if I have the money?
Even if you have the money, you may want to consider using a bail bondsman. If you tie up all your available cash, you may not be able to pay your bills while you’re awaiting trial. By showing the court that you have cash, they may deny you a court-appointed lawyer and they may take the cash to pay any fines or court fees.
How much does a bond cost?
A bail bondsman will usually charge a non-refundable premium of 10% of the bail amount and 15% for federal cases. We’ll work with you to determine what kind of payment will fit your budget and offer several payment options including debit cards, credit cards, and installment plans.
When will my loved one be released?
Usually, we can have him out of jail within a few hours.
What do I do if I have more questions?
Call us at 636-949-9999 and we’d be happy to answer any other questions you may have.