Seven Questions to ask a Potential Bail Bond Company
You hope that you never need to use a bond company. But if you do, there are a few things that you should ask them to make sure that you have the right one company for your needs. Below are seven questions that you can ask to help you get a good idea about whether a bond company is the right one.
How much do you charge?
The rate that the company is going to charge will be legally mandated from state to state. The company is going to charge you anywhere from 8 to 15% of the total amount of bail based on the state that you’re in. Make sure you’re cautious of any company offers for a good rates. It might mean they’re not operating legally and they’re not a company that’s reputable.
How quickly will you be able to get a person released?
The company is only able to control paperwork and the part of the release process that they take part in . The majority of bondsman will have pretty accurate time frames about when a defendant will be able to be released. Getting a person released from jail is often an unpredictable and slow process, so you want to be patient while waiting. The first thing the jail is going to be concerned about is safety.
What’s the process for a bail bond?
Professional companies should have no problem explaining the procedure effortlessly. Below is basically the way that the process will work:
The company is going to collect some general and basic information about the situation so that they can ask assess the bond’s risk factor. An example would be where the person is being held, their charges, the length of time they’ve lived where their current residence is, if they’re employed and where.
The customer will have to arrange payment and complete the bond documents so that the ba bond application, receipt and indemnity agreement are included.
The company will then post bail, and the defendant is going to be released.
Is your company licensed?
For example, California bondsman receives their licenses through California’s department of insurance. They’re also the only ones that are permitted legally for negotiating and posting bond. You want to make sure that you were only dealing with companies who have valid and current licenses and they’re in good standing. Ask to see the license and identification of the bail agent before giving them money and completing your transaction.
Where are you located?
Sometimes, a bondsman isn’t in the state where you live. When this happens, it might cost you a lot more money because of the posting fee, and that’s the fee when the bondsman may need to pay another one to post your bail. To expedite the processes and make sure you’re not paying anything extra, find a guarantor that’s within a distance that’s reasonable from the jail that is holding the person.
What’s the indemnitor’s responsibilities?
The Indemnitor is the person who bails a person out of jail, accepting the full responsibility that they are going to show up to their court date. If the person doesn’t appear, the indemnitor will be responsible for helping the bondsman find them. If they aren’t able to be found, the indemnitor has to pay the full bail amount. Most of the issues with bail bonds can be handled using a simple phone call.
What happens if the person doesn’t come to the court case?
This question can vary between bond companies, but the process is pretty much the same. There will be a warrant issued for their arrest, and they’re going to show up in the police bulletins as being a fugitive. The company is going to try locating the defendant through calling their home, their work, their references and instructing them to go to their hearing. If a defendant isn’t able to be located, the company might hire one of the bounty hunters for locating and arresting them.
Keep in mind that this process for a bail bond is going to vary between states. But when you understand these fundamental questions that you should ask a potential bond company, it will help you with making the right decision on which companies to choose to help you through a tough time in your life.
4 Tips for Choosing a Bail Bondsman
When you or someone you love has gone to jail, it can be a terrifying time. Not only is the person’s future uncertain, but you want to get them out of jail as soon as possible. One of the best ways that you can do this is through getting a bail guarantor since most people don’t have the money upfront to pay for bail. Below are four tips that you can use to find the right bail bondsman for you or your loved one to help them get out of jail as soon as possible.
Ask your lawyer for references
This is a good idea whether you choose to hire a lawyer or you were given one of the public defenders. A lawyer has connections and lots of experience when it comes to legal matters, and they should have enough knowledge that they can provide you a few names of trustworthy bail guarantors. Since the agencies often work very closely with law enforcement and local attorneys, the bondsmen that are respectable and solid are going to be shared with those in the industry.
Look on Yelp
A lot of people think of you often is a place to go for recommendations for food, but this isn’t the case. Professional services such as bail bond agencies also use Yelp. Here you can read the reviews that previous clients have left and learn about the services of the company. Even though it’s a bad idea to select your bail bondsman solely based on the reviews on Yelp, it can help you see what kind of services they’ll give you.
Research the Licenses
Before you choose your bail bondsman, you want to check out the license that they have. Go to the website of your state licensing department to get up-to-date information regarding the licensing status of an agency. Chances are you’re also going to find any kinds of complaints that were filed against the agency and the bondsman. This information can be beneficial when you’re trying to choose the right bondsman for your case.
Ask About the Bondsman‘s Experience and Resources
Even though it’s true that all of the agents have to be paid the same fees, some of the bond agencies provide more flexible, better payment plans and options compared with other agencies. A good bail bondsman is always going to put the needs of their clients first and understand the financial requirements as well as provide the right solution to fit the client’s abilities.
These are four tips that you can use to help you find the right bail bondsman for your needs. Hopefully, you will never have to use these tips, but when you do they will help you find the right bail bondsman to help yourself or someone else got out of jail quickly. The bail bondsman is there to help you during a tough time in your life. But you want to make sure that you have the right one for your needs and that they will do their best to help you out.
Steps to Becoming a Bail Bondsman
A lot of people think about becoming bail bondsman. If you are interested in becoming one, it’s important that you know what the steps are for becoming a bondsman. Below are four steps that you need to take before you can get into this business.
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A Guide to Posting Bail for a Friend or Family Member
You have good friends. You want to help them in any way that you can. Does this mean that you’re willing to post bail for them? If your answer is yes, then you want to read on and know exactly what you’re getting into if you post bail for a friend or family member.
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What Happens After Someone’s Arrested?
It’s late at night. The phone rings. There’s a friend or family member on the other line and they’ve been arrested. They’re scared and in jail. You want to help them. But you’ve never done this before. How does it work? We’ll explain the process below. Continue Reading
How do Bail Bonds Work?
Bail bonds are something that a lot of people hear about on the news. When someone is arrested, many times they are released on bail. But how is it that bail bonds work? What is the process? We’re going to look at the process behind bail bonds.
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Bail Bondsmen Vs Bounty Hunters – What’s the Difference?
When you are facing being arrested or you are facing jail time, one of the things that you’ll quickly learn is there a lot of legal vocabulary that you will have to learn. Two terms that you are likely to hear are bounty hunter and bail bondsman. Continue Reading
7 Tips for Choosing a Bail Bondsman
When you or someone that you know has been arrested and they have to post a bond, one of the best ways that you can do it is by finding a bail bondsman or a bond company. Below are seven tips that you can use to find the right one for your situation. Continue Reading