Alright Bail Bonds

What is a bail bond?

When people get arrested, they usually have the opportunity or chance to pay bail. With the bail, the arrested person can go out of the jail till the trial. This is a method that the court ensures that the accused will come to the court on a future date. Sometimes it so happens that the person does not have the cash to pay for the bail. In such a scenario, the bail bonds come into existence. The accused has to pay only around 10% of the bail amount and the remaining amount is paid by the bail bond agency after forming the bail bond.

What is the bail bond process?

A bail bond is also known as “surety bond”. Mostly, either the friend or the attorney contacts a bail bond company over the phone. In this conversation, the bond company will get all the basic information needed like the situation, the charges, where the detainee held, the time of being detained, and also all the personal details of the detainee. With this information, the company assesses its risks. After this, if the customer requires a bail bond, then he/she has to sign the documents that include an application for bail bond, an Indemnity agreement of bail and lastly, a receipt. Once the bail bond has been processed, the licensed agent of the company will post it to the jail or the facility where the detainee is. This will help the detainee to get released. The entire process of forming a bail bond takes around 1-2 hours. But the  process can begin only if the arrest and booking process have been completed. For the service provided by the bail bond company, the client/customer has to pay 10% of the bail amount as a fee. This cost has been set by the law, and any bail bond agent who charges less, is actually violating the law. When the accused appears in the court on the date of hearing, the bail amount is returned to the bail bond company.

How bail bonds work

Bail bonds usually work on the same way any bond works and the obligations are met. There are different types of bail bonds and how they work depends on the type.

1. Cash: The amount depends on felon for which the accused has been detained. So one will have to deposit the amount in the court. This money is either returned to the accused when he/she shows up in the court or it is used to pay the court fees.

2. Signature: Sometimes it so happens that that the person detained is a well known person and his/her signature is enough to get a bail. It acts as a bail bond.

3. Property: In this case of bail bond, instead of giving money to the court, the accused pledges any property to the court.

The bail bond typically works by limiting the movement of the detainee. He/she has to appear in the court at all dates. The bond agreement will not include any provision for contact with the accused or the witnesses. Some of the bail bonds can also include no alcohol provision. The accused, in the time period between the bail and appearing at the court can have some random tests done like blood test, urine test or even a breath test. The bail bond means the person is basically at the court’s mercy.

Bail bonds work differently in different states

Some bail bonds allow the accused to post for it, but the neighboring state might not. In some states, the accused has to pay only 10% of the bail amount, but in others you have to post it prior the release of the accused. The functioning of a bail bond varies from state to state and if the friend or the relative is applying for the bail bond, he/she needs to be aware of the differences.