Bail Bonds Process
Individuals accused of a crime remain in jail until their court hearing or are released on bail. The latter is the ideal option for defendants. For that to happen, they need to post bail.
Bail functions as insurance between the court and the defendant. Defendants may pay their bail in cash, but not everyone has the means to do so. Moreover, bail amounts can reach tens of thousands of dollars. Some defendants are unable to post bail by themselves.
Defendants who can’t make the bail amount turn to a bail bond agent for help.
Defining Bail Bonds
A bail bond is a surety bond that secures a defendant’s release from jail. It has two types:
Non-Appearance in Court
A bail bond stipulates that the bail bond company is liable for the full bail amount in case of the defendant’s non-appearance, which is the failure to show up at the time and date he or she is supposed to be at court.
So, if the defendant fails to appear in court, they forfeit their bail bond. The bondsman will then collect from you the entire face value of the bail and use the defendant’s collateral to settle the entire bail amount.
On top of that, the judge might increase your bail. You might also face additional fees, fines, and charges for missing your court date. In fact, the judge may issue a bench warrant for your arrest, unless your attorney can present a reasonable explanation for your absence.
Take note that it’s difficult to convince the judge that there’s an acceptable reason for your non-appearance.
Understanding the Bail Bonds Process
The court usually sets the bail amount high, so that the defendants are more likely to follow the conditions of their release. Some defendants, however, don’t have the means to pay the full amount of the bail. They turn to bail bond companies to secure their release.
Bail Bond Services
The defendant or his or her relatives contact Charlotte Bail Bonds, which will collect information about the case. This includes the detainee’s location, duration of detention, and the charges, among others.
Once our team and the defendant or his or her relatives agree on the conditions of the bail bond, they will sign bail bond documents to start the process. After finalizing the paperwork, defendants who use bail bond services must pay a premium of 15% of the full bail amount.
The bail bondsman will then post the bail in full and get their client out of jail. In some cases, collateral such as a home is required in order to protect the face value of the bail.
Take note that our team can only start the bail bond process if the arrest and booking procedures are done.
Non/Appearance at Court
Bail bond services take risks on the defendant by promising the court the latter will appear for their hearing. During the pre-trial period, our team may work with the family and friends, especially the co-signers, to ensure that the defendant will show up in court. Charlotte Bail Bonds also reminds the defendants of their court dates when they use our mobile app for check-in’s.
If the defendant appears to all court dates, the bail bond is dissolved. Our team returns the collateral to the person who posted it. We keep the premium payment as compensation for our services.
If the defendant doesn’t appear in court, the bail bond is forfeited; the court demands the full amount of the bail to be paid. Our team will collect the entire bail amount from defendant/cosigner and can use the collateral to pay these dues as well.
