Do I Need a Bail Bondsman?

Here is another question from Yahoo! Answers.  Our answer was chosen “Best Answer” by voters.

Question:  My brother got arrested and is due to appear in court. He alegedly “attempted to rob a bank” by requesting the teller to transfer $1,000 to his personal account, he never withdrew the money and left the bank. His bail is $50,000, do I need to pay $5,000 to a bondsman to bail him out or can he be released from jail?

Answer:  If you want to bail him out you can pay the full amount of $50,000 to the jail in the form of cash or a cashier’s check.  The alternative is to use a bail bondsman. The bondsman will Read more »

How Is Bail Set?

Question: I’m not clear how the bail process works. If somebody is arrested for something whether guilty or innocent, they have an option to have bail?

Answer: Bail is set by the court system. Judges set what is called a “bail schedule” in every county every year and for criminal offences. Not every person gets bail because there are mitigating circumstances. The first concern is public safety and then they are going to look at the risk involved with the individual. That is why you’ll hear some bails that are  multi-million dollars in amount. They are set very high and what they are banking on is that there is not really going to be the funds to be raised in order to bail that person out.

Let’s just take Los Angeles as an example. The average bail in Los Angeles is Read more »

Listen to Bail Bonds Information

A year or so ago, Sherry Borzo of dsmBUZZ interviewed me about bail bonds. Take a listen:

It’s about a half hour. So, I’m adding are some of the excerpts to Ask the Bondsman including:

• A brief overview as to what it is bail bondsmen do. (Published 7/25/2010)
• Who Read more »

What to Look for When Choosing a Bail Bondsman

Bail bondsmen are an important asset to a defendant in a criminal proceeding.  The experience a bail bondsman possesses can greatly work  in your favor. Alternatively, inexperience could cost you dearly. It is important to know the facts and have a clear understanding when it comes to the different options and situations you may experience.

Bondsman Licensing

By law, all bail bonds companies must be fully licensed by the state they are operating under. For instance, if you are arrested in Los Angeles, and are in need of a bail bondsman, then the company you inquire about should be licensed by the State of California Department of Insurance. 

Experience is Paramount

Like most industries, quality in a bondsman comes from experience.  Operating under the perplexing environment of a court room or jail system, a bail agent needs to be familiar and knowledgeable in the specific court or jail where you need assistance. From state to state and county to county, each jail system is set up differently, and only through experience, can a bondsman properly operate the laws in the defendant’s best interest.

Additionally, a bondsman with experience will Read more »

How Do You Qualify For Bail Bonds Financing?

It used to be that bail bonds were paid for in advance of a defendant being released from jail on bond. While the best way to obtain a bail bond is by paying your 10% to the bondsman up-front, financing bail bonds has become more and more commonplace.

As in so many financing situations, buyer beware. If you finance a bail bond, you may simply be getting a loan – a loan that comes with a high financing price tag. If you do need to finance a bond, you will want to look for a bondsman who does not charge interest or additional fees for this service. Check the fine print.

With our bail bonds company, in order to qualify for a bail bond payment plan you’ll need to have good credit, and/or own a home. You  will also need Read more »

Bail Bonds While Vacationing

Have you ever thought about needing a bail bondsman while you are on vacation?  While summer is fast approaching and we’re thinking about family vacations, as a family of bondsmen we think about such things…

Most people never think they will ever end up in jail while vacationing, unfortunately it does happen.  It could be  too much fun in the sun, a heated argument, a little too much to drink, or a variety of other unexpected incidents. 

If you travel in the US, information about the bail bonds process can help. However, traveling outside the US Read more »

What is a Bail Bond & What Does It Cost?

Bail bonds, sometimes called ‘surety bonds’ are used to have a defendant released from jail, without having to pay the entire amount. Kind of like an insurance policy, the bond is submitted to the jail and the promise to “make good” on the bond is put into play.

What’s great for the consumer is the bail bond company will only charge 10% of the total amount, which makes it financially easier to bail someone out. Therefore, if the bail is set at $20,000, the consumer would only have to pay$2,000 for the defendant’s release. Further, in certain situations like if the person is using an attorney, the bail agency can legally offer an 8% bond, which would make the premium $1,600 instead of $2,000.

Do I Need To Use A Bail Bondsman?

Quite simply: No, you do not need a bondsman to post bail.

If you have the total amount of the bail in cash, for example, the entire $50,000 bail amount, you can post what is called a ”cash bail” directly at the jail. You will take the full amount ($50,000) in cash or cashiers check to the jailer to secure the release of the defendant. When the defendant’s case is concluded, you would receive that cash back, less any administrative fees charged.

If you (like most people) don’t have $50K on hand that you want to tie up for the duration of the case, your next call is likely a bondsman.

Bail Bondsman Fees

Bail bonds companies by state mandate usually charge Read more »

Should I Post Bail For A Friend?

You absolutely should post bail for someone you love, know, trust, care about and don’t want to see stay in jail for any longer than they have to. Jail can be a dangerous and scary place to be. Posting bail will allow the defendant to get their home, family, work or school responsibilities in order. They will also have more time to gather their legal team or public defender to appear in court with them on their court dates.

Having said that, it’s also important to realize the amount of responsibility that comes along with posting bail for a defendant. There are contracts and agreements to sign in order to move forward with posting bail. In these contracts, a friend or family member will provide the guarantee that the total bail amount will be ‘paid in full’ should the defendant fail to appear for their court dates. Once all paperwork is signed, the bail bondsman will post the bond at the jail. This is what is called a ’surety bond’ which guarantees the court that the defendant will return for every arraignment.

When Not To Post Bail

You probably should not post bail for Read more »

Bail Bonds Costs and Release Options

The bail bond amount is based on the charges, and set by the judges in a County Bail Schedule.  Depending on the details and severity of the crime, bail schedules have different bail amounts.  For example, a DUI charge in LA County has a $15,000 bail and a DUI charge that involves an accident is set at $50,000.

California’s average bail amount is $25,000, and in many cases it can be higher.  Most people don’t have that amount of money and will need to hire a licensed bail bond agent.  Professional bail bondsmen are very experienced in this area. They know the jail systems and bail schedules, and can walk you through the entire process and handle release procedures.  The jail release process can happen much sooner if a bail bondsman is contacted as soon as possible.

Only judges are allowed to Read more »