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9 Important Questions to Ask a Bail Bond Agency

bail

When choosing a bail bond agency to work with, you need a good sense of judgment and all the information you can get about the company. When getting in touch with bail bond companies, you want to ask all the right questions to learn about their services and what exactly they can do to help you. We discuss the most important questions to ask to help narrow down your options.

What is the difference between bail and bond?  

Bail is the full cash payment of the bond order paid by the defendant to the court. Bail money can be returned at the end of trial if court requirements are met. A bond is posted on a defendant’s behalf, by a bail bond company, to secure the release of the defendant. Money paid as a fee for bond services will not be returned. 

How much will you charge for your services?

When you apply for a bond, you pay a certain percentage of the total bail amount to secure the loan. By doing so, you show the bail bond company that you are holding up your end of the loan, which protects them if you fail to pay the bond back in full. The total percentage of bail may vary from company to company. 

Are you licensed?

Bail bond agencies are typically regulated in most states, meaning you can rest assured that you are working with a licensed bail bondsman. With that being said, before agreeing to work with anyone, make sure the bail bondsman is licensed to operate in the state. You can ask for proof of licensing to make sure you are working with a reliable agency. 

What kinds of bail bonds do you provide?

Some bail bond agencies may only offer bonds on certain amounts of bail, meaning some will only work with small bail amounts. That means that there are other agencies that only provide bonds for high-dollar bail amounts. Because of this, do your research to make sure you work with an agency that can help with the bail you have been issued. 

How can I find out where a person is detained or if a bail amount has been set?

A bail bond agency can obtain and provide that information rather quickly. You can also contact the courthouse of the county in which the inmate is being held. Once the courthouse is discovered, a clerk may ask you for information about the inmate including their legal name, birth date, and case number to locate them and provide information on the bail amount. 

Do I need an attorney to post a bond?

You do not need an attorney to post a bond. You can post the full cash bail amount or arrange for a bond through a licensed bondsman or agency without an attorney. 

Do I have to put up collateral?

Bail collateral is offered in place of bail money in order to secure the release of the person who has been arrested, so depending on the situation, you may not have to post collateral. Consider the collateral a form of credit or loan to ensure that the person shows up in court. Collateral can come in many forms of assets. 

How quickly can you get me or a loved one out of jail?

Everyone’s case is different, therefore the time it will take to get you or a loved one out of jail will depend. A bail bondsman can usually provide a timeline regarding how quickly they can get their end of the bail process done. It is important to note that these agencies cannot control how quickly a jailhouse will process the release request. 

What happens once I or a loved one is out?

Once released from jail, you or a loved one are expected to attend all hearings and court dates on time. The bail bond agency you are working with will explain what you need to do in order to meet the terms of your bail. They will also explain what can happen if you miss your court dates or violate any other terms of your release. 

Have More Questions? Contact Us to Learn More  

Almost always, covering the full amount of bail can be rather difficult and out of reach. You don’t have to struggle with coming up with the money you need. Work with an experienced bail bond agency and you’ll be able to process your release as fast as possible. Contact our team to learn more about how we can help. 

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How Bail Bonds Work in El Paso

someone in jail gripping the barsNo one wants to spend time in jail, especially during the holiday season. If you or a loved one is in police custody, and you’ve been charged with an offense, then you don’t have to feel as if all your options have been extinguished. You have the ability of posting bail in order to get out of jail. The bail amount is determined by the judge. He or she will base the amount on a handful of factors, such as the crime’s severity or the probability of the defendant, committing other crimes upon release.

Basically, by posting bail, you would be able to get out of jail and live your life as you would normally. You will still be required to appear on your designated court date, however. Bail can range from low amounts to high amounts of thousands or even millions. But in most drunk driving cases, for instance, bail can range from $500 to $1,000 if it’s a misdemeanor offense or upwards of $50,000 for felony drunk driving. 

Helping You Post Bail

Posting bail may seem impossible, especially if it’s an amount you can’t simply procure, but this is where bail bond companies come into play. If you’re in the El Paso area and you need help posting bail, then Freedom Bail Bonds can help.

Now, you may be asking yourself how exactly do bail bond companies work? In general, bail amounts are simply too high by most people’s standards. A bail bond company, however, can basically post bail on your behalf so you’ll be able to walk free from jail. The way this works is quite simple. Bail bond companies charge a nonrefundable fee of 10 or 20 perfect the bail amount. So, let’s say your bail was set at $1,000 and the bail bond company you choose charges a 20% fee, you will only have to pay $200 out of your own pocket while the bail bond company pays the rest of the bail on your behalf. But that’s not the end of the story.

Now this second part is where it gets a bit tricky. After you pay your percentage, you’ll be required to sign a surety bond which basically makes you liable for the full bail amount if you fail to appear in court for your appointed court date. This is basically the collateral required for the bail bond company to do its part in helping you to get out of jail. So, as long as you appear on your appointed court date, you’ll have nothing to worry about in terms of bail. Sure, there’s still the whole issue about your alleged offense and the potential sentence you may or may not face, but that’s all further down the road. Our main goal is to get you out of jail upon your arrest.

If you’re spending time in jail, maybe a week or two, for driving under the influence and it’s your first offense, then the legal ramifications might be much more lenient than if this were a felony DUI charge. But those are the details you’ll go over with your lawyer at a future date. Freedom Bail Bonds is focused on helping you get out of jail so you’ll be able to live your life with your family, not in jail. 

Many people get pulled over for drunk driving, especially during the holiday season. New Year’s Eve is unabashedly known for its copious amounts of drinking. It’s also a night for celebration which means there are countless parties taking place all across the city. If you were invited to three parties and you had a few drinks at the first one, you might get pulled over while on your way to the next party. Or you might find yourself driving the same road where a DUI checkpoint is taking place. 

Freedom Bail Bonds is Ready to Help

Whatever your situation may be, it’s necessary for you to have the knowledge that Freedom Bail Bonds will be there to lend a helping hand. Paying whatever amount of bail out of your own pocket may not seem feasible but paying a small percentage for the same outcome is very much doable. If you or a loved one requires bail assistance, we can help. Contact Freedom Bail Bonds today. Or simply save our number in your phone book so you’ll be prepared if the moment ever arises.