If you happen to live in a state that allows private bail, odds are there are several bail bonding companies competing for your business. With numerous businesses out there offering similar services how do you know which one to choose? The following information is provided to help consumers weed through the seemingly endless list of competitors and find the right company. There are a lot of people getting into this business looking to make quick buck. Bail bonding is a legitimate business and can be a lucrative market. The golden rule in bail bonding is to treat people right and not chase premiums! The bail bond industry is a cash business. This is what can attract shady companies or individuals trying to scam you to make some money. If your ever in need of a bail bond service, finding results is fairly easy. With any search engine, simply type “bail bonds” with your city in the text. Multiple listings will show and every company will boast that they are the “best” at what they do.
When selecting a company to work with, it is important to make sure that the company has a valid insurance license number. This number should be present on all advertisements on web sites, print, and small business cards. Many companies attempt to get business in every city possible. If you need a bail bonding company in Asheville, NC make sure that you choose a company that is located in the city you are needing services.
Some people are unfamiliar with how the process works when hiring a bail bondsman. We will go over some of the terminology so you have a better understanding of what goes on. What does it mean when you hear of someone being released on $50,000 bail? When a person is arrested for a crime, they are held in jail until their court date, until a judge decides to let them go on recognizance, or until released on bail. Bail is the amount of money acting as insurance between the court and the person in jail. Sometimes the defendant has the option to pay bail in cash, but this is not always the case. Often times bail will be set at a high amount. This makes most defendants financially unable to post bail by themselves. This is when someone would seek help from a bail agent, are a bail bondsman. They will post bail for the individual.
A bail bond is essentially a security bond provided by the bond company. A bail bondsman will pay this and secure the release of the defendant from jail. There are two different types of bail bonds. The first is criminal bail bonds. These are used in criminal cases and guarantees that the defendant will appear for trial when called upon by the court. It also guarantees payment for any fines or penalties facing the defendant. The next type is civil bail bond. These are used in civil cases and guarantee the payment of debt, interest, and costs associated against the defendant.
So how does the process work? A judge will set a bail amount for the defendant. If the defendant on their own cannot pay the amount, they are allowed to seek help from a bail bondsman in the form of a bail bond. When dealing with a bail bondsman, the defendant is usually required to pay 10% of the total amount. The bondsman will then pay the rest of the amount as collateral. If the defendant does not have enough collateral, the bail bondsman will contact relatives and friends to assist in covering the bail. In some cases, an extra cash payment on top of full collateral is required for a bail bondsman to post bail.
The following steps are dependent on the defendant appearing for their court date after being released. When the defendant fails to show up to court, the bail bond is forfeited and the court requires that the remaining 90% to be paid. The defendants collateral such as a house, jewelry, stocks, cars, will be used to pay the court the remaining bail amount. When the defendant shows up to court, upon conclusion of the case, the bail bond is dissolved and the collateral will be returned to the person who provided the money for bail. The bail bondsman will keep the 10% cash fee as profit.
How does one go about getting a bail bond? Bail bonds can be some of the most hazardous bonds to write. The risk comes from defendants failing to appear in court. The company who issues the bond is ultimately liable for the full bond penalty. There are some states that prohibit bail bondsman (Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, and Wisconsin). These states still allow bail bonds, however the 10% payment of the bond goes to the court, instead of going to the bondsman.
KC bonding has years of experience in the industry. We are well versed with all the required paperwork involved in getting released from jail. Hiring a professional bail bondsman will be your best option in getting released from jail. Getting locked up in jail can be a scary experience, getting released as soon as possible should be a top priority. Spending as little time behind bars is the ultimate goal.
Depending on the charge, paying bail to get released from jail can be surprisingly steep. It is not uncommon to see bail prices set at $1000 and up! For most people, covering the entire cost of bail is not feasible. By working with our experienced bail bondsman, the cost can become much more manageable. Instead of paying the court a lump sum, you will only be required to pay a percentage of that fee to get out of jail.
