The bail bonds industry is one of the least understood types of businesses in the United States. But if you have ever been arrested, you’re probably thankful that the bail bonds business exists. Here are some common questions that people have about what a bail bondsman Alvarado TX professional does and how this type of business works.
What’s the difference between bail and a bond?
A bond and bail are not that different from each other, but there are a couple slight differences. Bail, for instance, is an amount of money that a judge sets during a criminal case. This amount of money is up to the judge’s discretion and typically relies on the seriousness of the crime. With bail, the defendant pays the money to the court in order to be released from jail until the next scheduled court appearance.
Bonds are a little different in that the defendant’s representative (usually a family member) goes to a bail bondsman. If the defendant cannot come up with bail money, the bondsman agrees to pay the bail on the condition that the defendant goes to their court appearances. The defendant’s representative also pays the bonds company a nonrefundable fee for this service. The fee is generally equivalent to 10 percent of the bail amount.
Who can post bail for a defendant?
Nearly anyone can post bail money for a defendant as long as you meet certain qualifications. For instance, you have to be at least 21 years of age. In cases where the bail is a significant amount, you will also need some type of collateral to put up. For instance, if the bail is set at $50,000, you would need to come up with either $5,000 in cash or collateral that is worth that much or a combination of cash and collateral. This is to minimize the risk for the bail bondsman Alvarado TX company. Once the defendant shows up to their schedule court cases, the bonds company releases any claim that it had to the collateral.
What’s my responsibility if I post bail for a defendant?
Posting bail for a defendant is a very serious decision. When you post bail for someone, you become the “bail bond indemnitor.” That means you take full responsibility for making sure the defendant shows up at their schedule court date. If they don’t show up for their court date, you could lose any collateral that you put up to help get the defendant out of jail.
At Vaughn’s EZ Out Bail Bonds, we will work with you and explain your options when it comes to bail money and bonds. We have been serving the area since 1988 and we are one of the most trusted bail bondsman companies in the region.
