FAQ
The Bail Bond process is straightforward, and requires three things- a defendant in custody, an indemnitor (someone who signs to be responsible for the bond if someone fails to show up for their court date), and payment of the premium (the fee paid to the bondsman directly for the release of a defendant). When we have all those things a bond can be posted and a defendant is released from jail on bond, this is considered being released into the custody of the bail bondsman. The indemnitor is financially responsible for the defendant’s court dates, and if they fail to show up to court, the indemnitor may be liable for the full amount of the bond if the defendant is unable to be located.
Another term for a bail bonds agent is bail bondsman, the two are used interchangeably and mean the same thing. This is the person that posted your bond, physically and is responsible (along with the indemnitor) for a defendant’s appearance in court. A bail bonds agent has extensive education in the criminal process, and the legal process behind posting a bond and can be a valuable resource for a defendant looking for help.
By law, bail bondsmen are required to collect 10% of the bond as premium for the bond. Our office provides payment plans to those in extenuating circumstances that we look at on a case-by-case basis. If you need help bonding out a friend or loved one, please call our office and we will see what we can do to help.
Our office accepts all major credit cards, wire transfers, money orders, cashiers checks, and cash. Unfortunately we do not accept personal checks.
When someone fails to show up for court, a warrant is issued for their arrest and the bond is considered forfeited (this means that the court looks for payment). Payment on the bond or arrest of the defendant is due within 60 days, at which time the bondsman would be required to pay the bond if the defendant is not arrested. At this time, all effort will be made to recover this fee from the indemnitor on the bond, and any collateral held by the bail bondsman may be used to pay these fees.