Bail was originally implemented in 13th century England and its purpose was the same as it is today: an incentive for a defendant to return for his trial after he’s been released. Its unfairness soon became apparent, as only those who could afford the bail were released while poorer defendants sat in jail. The bond system was created as a way to level the playing field. It provided a way for defendants to pay a small fee and offer possible collateral to a bail bondsman who in turn would make arrangements with the court on behalf of the defendant for his release.
A bail bondsman will charge a premium of 10% which is non-refundable. We’ll determine if collateral is required. Collateral can be anything from real estate to cars to jewelry, anything that has a value that can be converted to cash if the defendant skips town. It’s important to understand the risks involved with obtaining a bond for you or someone you love. If the defendant does not show up for his or her appointed court dates, any collateral or money that was put up for the bond will be forfeited to pay the court so it is the responsibility of that person to make sure the defendant shows up for court.
Once all of the financial arrangements have been made, the bail bondsman can contact the court and get your loved one out of jail. At {name}, we make sure you completely understand the process and work quickly for your loved one’s release.
There are several types of bonds that we offer. They are:
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- Surety Bonds. These are the most common bonds and most likely the one you would need to obtain. The bondsman makes arrangements with the court on your behalf for your release. They are called surety bonds because the bondsman’s insurance, or surety, company guarantees the bonds.
- Cash Bonds. This is when the defendant or a friend or family member posts the full amount of the bail that was determined by the court. Bondsmen are unnecessary for these bonds.
- Appeals Bonds. These bonds are used when someone has been convicted of a crime and are appealing the verdict. It may be possible for the defendant to remain out of jail during the appeals process, which could take years, if he arranges for an appeals bond. These usually require cash collateral in the full amount of the bail. If a person is out on an appeals bond and skips, the cash is forfeited, a warrant is issued for his arrest and he is returned to jail where he will finish out his sentence.
- Immigration Bonds. Like surety bonds, these are to allow a defendant to post bail, but in this case, the defendant is from another country. They are posted to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and not all bondsmen handle these because they require special licenses of them.