You likely know what a private bail bondsman does, such as help people get out of jail. There are likely some things you do not know, however--five of which are listed below.
Not All States have Bail Bondsmen
You may be surprised to hear that there are some states you cannot find bail bondmen. These states include: Washington D.C., Illinois, Nebraska, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Wisconsin, and Oregon.
Bail bonds are a private lending service that can be restricted in some areas. If your states does not allow you to use a bail bondsman, the person in jail will have to stay in jail while going through the hearings and court until they are found guilty or innocent. If you do want to get them out of jail, you can pay the full bail amount in cash to the court.
You May Not Need Bail
Do not assume that just because you are arrested, you need to get a bail bond. You need to first find out if you can leave on your own recognizance, which is also known as getting out of jail for free, until your scheduled hearing.
There are requirements that you will have to meet first. For example, you may get to do this if this is the first time you have been arrested or your crime was nonviolent. You will get jail time, however, if you do not appear at your scheduled court date after you are released.
You May Lose Your Money
Paying a bail bondsmen cash to get someone out of jail is an investment, and you may or may not get your money back. For example, if you pay the bail amount and the person does not appear at their court date, the court will take the bail money from you and keep it. You could not get this money back.
If the person does go to court, you will not receive your money back until their case is dismissed, they are acquitted, or they are found guilty.
Types of Collateral
The bail bondsmen will ask for collateral before they will help get someone out of jail. There are many different types of collateral, such as a surety bond, ten percent of the bond, a bank account, some land, a car, or a piece of property, such as a house.
Talk with a bail bondsman in your area if you have any questions about how they work. They will be glad to help you out as much as they can. Contact a company like Bail Bond BY Affordable Bonding for more information.
