Understanding How Bail Bondsman Services Work

By Walter Wagner


If you find yourself in serious legal trouble leading to an arrest, probably the only thing on your mind is how to get out of jail and how soon it can happen. Or you might get a call in the middle of the night from a friend or family member who has been arrested and wants you to bail them out. Many people would not even know what to do first. Most have watched enough television to know it will cost money to free someone and that a bail bondsman is the person to call.

Most of these people are on call twenty four hours a day seven days a week. They can explain what you need to do and how much it is going to cost. The court usually sets the bail amount in accordance with the severity of the offense. You will probably be required to put up ten percent of the amount in cash or collateral. The bondsman will handle the transfer of funds to the court. This money is supposed to make sure the accused appears in court as scheduled.

Becoming one of these individuals usually requires taking a class on the subject and passing a test at the end of it. After that has been completed the person must apply for a license from the state. Their fingerprints and an extensive background check goes on file as well.

If you don't have the money to pay the bond, you can have someone else do it for you. You don't get your money back from the bondsman after court. Bond is not tax deductible. If you use an asset, such as your house, for collateral and the accused does not appear in court, your property can be foreclosed on and sold.

If the defendant doesn't show up for court, an arrest warrant will be issued. Law enforcement will be alerted, and the bondsman can even hire someone to find the person. Sometimes a private investigator is brought into the case to try and locate the accused.

If a bondsman decides to go after you, they usually use the services of a surety recovery agent, or bounty hunter. Not everyone knows such people really exist outside movies and television shows, but they do. It might seem like an exciting and adventurous job to some. They might even be interested in learning what it takes to become one.

Requirements vary from state to state. In some places you really don't have to do anything but get the bondsman to hire you and tell you what to do and where to go. In other areas it is a felony to operate as a bounty hunter without a license. These individuals are paid a percentage of the bail money. How many cases they handle a year depends entirely on them, but most work on more than a hundred.

The best course of action is probably to avoid getting yourself in a bad legal situation that requires bail in the first place. Otherwise, knowing who to call in the middle of the night might be a good idea.




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