If you or someone you know has been arrested or charged with a crime, they must go through the initial booking process. Upon meeting with a magistrate, a mugshot and fingerprints will be taken, and then something called a bond will be set. Bond is a dollar amount that is determined by the magistrate and the amount of that bond is usually dependent upon the severity of the crime. The courts will decide what the amount will be. The bond is an arrangement made on the suspect's behalf, and the bonding agency works with the courts to pay the bond and allow for release. If the person cannot pay the bond, they must be booked into jail immediately. 

The Role of a Bondsman

A bail bondsman works for a bail bonding agency who charges suspects a fee of approximately ten percent of the total bond amount. This ten percent amount is actually known as bail, and means that upon receipt of payment, the court will allow the person to leave freely until the trial date. The bondsman or their agency then gives this amount to the courts in order to secure the suspect's release. The suspect then owes the bond company the ten percent fee. This fee is not refundable, even if the case ends up being dismissed or thrown out. Most people will happily pay a bond company the ten percent in order to avoid having to spend time in jail. If the suspect cannot or does not pay the bondsman back, he can attempt to recover the fee from other places such as retrieving assets or other methods of collection.

If A Suspect Does Not Appear in Court

On the trial date, the suspect must appear in court to determine the final charges for their crime. If they do not appear, they may be subject to a lawsuit by the bail bondsman in order to recover the bond fees. The bond company can also use the help of a bounty hunter to track the suspect down. As a defendant of a crime, it is imperative that they pay the ten perfect fee to the bail bondsman or their agency as soon as possible to avoid these problems. Other ways the bondsman can collect money is to claim the person's assets or even of those who have signed any kind of contract promising to help the defendant. Bail bonds are designed to help suspects, but the suspect must also hold up their end of the bargain in order to ensure a smooth process. Contact a local bond company, like Brad's Bail Bonds, for more information.

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