A bail bondsman is a professional who provides bail bonds to people accused of crimes and who do not have the money needed to pay the full amount of bail. The bondsman pays the bail on behalf of the defendant, usually in exchange for a fee, which is a percentage of the amount of the bond. To secure the bond, the guarantor may require assets, cash, or investments as a deposit. This deposit is valid for one year and must be renewed if the case goes beyond that period. A court bond, also known as a provisional bond, is used when a person wants to surrender to the police.
To obtain this type of bond, the defendant and their lawyer must speak to a bail bond agent. If the defendant returns to court, the guarantor receives the full amount of the bond plus 10% of the defendant's charge. Most people don't have enough money to pay for bail in court. In these cases, bail schedules are used to set the standard for how much bail is required depending on the crime. This amount can often be paid directly with the jail before a bond hearing. If the defendant fails to appear or meets the conditions, a bail enforcement agent may be sent to reappear in court and the bail that has been paid may be lost.
An estate bond is when the defendant pledges assets such as real estate, jewelry or shares equal to or greater than the amount of the bond. When bondsmen are in jail, they are given a date of appearance, a receipt and all necessary documentation so that they have all pertinent information to follow up on the case. If they fail to appear in court, it will be up to the bail bond agent to pay the full amount of the bond to the court. If someone doesn't have a lawyer, they can still talk to a bail bond agent who will prepare all necessary bail documentation for them. The guarantor acts as security by providing money to the court to pay for their bail and promising that they will appear in court. The bail bond company has committed to paying out the full amount of their bail if they do not appear in court. Some states have banned bounty hunters and therefore bondsmen must detain their own fugitives.
If they fail to show up for their hearing, it will be up to the guarantor to pay out their bail amount to the court. A bondsman, bail bond agent or bond agent is any person, agency or corporation that acts as a guarantor and promises money or property as bail for someone else's appearance in court.
