Your attendance at all of your court appearances is the responsibility of the bail agents and co-signers. Now, if you can afford it, you do have the choice to pay the bond yourself. The court determines the bond amount, which is typically based on the seriousness of the offence and if you are considered a flight risk. You can be sure that an inmate search will be conducted to discover you and bring you to justice if you pose a flight risk or attempt to flee, and you might not even be eligible for a bond.
A big tip: turning yourself in after learning that you are wanted on a warrant usually does not constitute you a flight risk; this could lower the cost of your bond; consult with your lawyer.
When the judge summons you to court, or on your next court date, the bail bond business guarantees the court that you will show up. As a condition of your release, you will also need to keep in touch with your bail agent frequently.
In order to free you and prevent you, the defendant, from escaping the area or the nation altogether, the court will seek payment in the form of a bond. The price charged by the bail bond business for posting your bond varies depending on the jurisdiction. The bail amount for a felony is typically 10% of the total bond amount. Therefore, the bond amount you would have to pay the bail bond business if you were given a $100,000 bail would only be $10,000. As most individuals could not afford this, this prevents you from having to come up with the entire $100,000 yourself. Remember that you won’t get your $10,000 bonding firm charge returned.
The San Jose bail bonds business typically charges a 20% fee for a misdemeanor arrest. Therefore, if your bond was set at $2000 and you were arrested for a misdemeanor, you would only be required to pay a bonding business $400. Again, this is a fee; you will not receive this sum back. However, confirm with your accountant because you might be eligible to deduct this sum from your taxes for the following year.
Large bonds frequently require collateral as insurance that you won’t flee the situation and go to Mexico. A bonding company will typically ask your co-signer to sign a note (contract) committing them to forfeit collateral valued at the bond’s amount plus any additional costs. This might be their vehicle, vessel, or even their house. Therefore, if you have a $100,000 bond and decide to leave town, your co-signor will be responsible for the remaining $90,000 as well as any additional fees.
The system is set up to keep you around until the court matter is over. You have probably seen the performances where it frequently succeeds and where some people make attempts to run. However, once a warrant is issued, it remains in effect until you appear before a judge to answer the accusations. Naturally, there are manuals and books that go into great length on the bail bonding procedure and how to properly turn yourself in.
All of your vitals will be recorded by a reliable bondsman (height, weight, date of birth, where you hang out, what you drive, where you work, etc). Before handing over a large sum of money to the courts, the bondsman will also snap a picture of you, note any distinctive features, and get to know you well. Before releasing your bond, some will even go so far as to photograph your co-signer and get to know them and their belongings.
Your co-signer is instantly liable for the whole amount of the bail if you completely abscond (run away) or fail to check in and the bail agency or co-signer are unable to find you in time for trial. The co-signer is accountable for paying all of the bail agent’s costs incurred while looking for you when you are found and apprehended by the bail agent or police department. The contract that you and the co-signor must both sign contains all of this information.
Never act out or speak rashly when interacting with a bondsman, just remember that. The bondsman has the option to reject your request for bail if they don’t believe you will return to court. You don’t have to be bound by them. There is no legal requirement that they bond you. So proceed as such.
There are specific actions you can take, depending on your bonding firm and how you treated them, to flip the bond over for your appeal if you are found guilty. Remember to protect yourself and keep your crime or charges to yourself while you are in county jail or prison awaiting your appeal.
Whether you have a collar or not, everyone who enters prison does so on an equal basis. Finding a reliable bondsman is essential to maintaining your freedom while facing charges. You should speak with a bail bondsman to learn all there is to know about how bail bonds operate in your state if you have an outstanding warrant, need some assistance, or both before turning yourself in.
