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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.
A transfer bond is how Bud’s Bail Bonds can post a bond for you or a loved one outside of the Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte county areas. We would enlist the help of another agency to post the bond for our agency, however you would still only need to deal with Bud’s Bail Bonds for any questions about the bond, whether that is court dates, payment plans, or any other services that we provide here at Bud’s Bail bonds. We’re able to get a transfer bond posted in any county in Florida, as well as many states around the country. If you have detailed questions about a transfer bond, please reach out to our office and we would be happy to help.
If you sign on a bail bond (called an indemnitor on our paperwork), you become responsible alongside Bud’s Bail Bonds to make sure the person you’re bonding out makes it to every court date they are required to attend until their case is closed. If they miss that court date and we are unable to locate that person, you could be responsible for paying the full amount of the bond, and you could lose any collateral you have with our office.
Collateral is what our office holds to guarantee the full amount of the bond. Collateral can be taken in many forms- a signature on a promissory note, titles, liens on property, cash, or even jewelry. Our most common form of collateral is a signature on a promissory note. If we take a signature on a promissory note as collateral, it is a promise to pay the full amount of the bond if the defendant does not show up to court- this document is enforceable in court if the signer fails to the pay the bond. If we take a promissory note instead of other physical collateral, the signer will be required to show pay stubs and other documentation proving their ability to pay back the bond if required.
If you need a payment plan for the premium of the bond, we generally ask for 50% down and want to see the remaining balance paid within six weeks with no additional interest on that balance. We understand that there can be extenuating circumstances to every case, and our office might be willing to adjust to a payment plan that works for your needs. Call us today and see if our office can work with you to get your friend or loved one home.
If you are outside the State of Florida, you can still sign or pay on a bail bond. All our forms are available for e-signature, and we are happy to help walk you through that process. We also take all major credit and debit cards over the phone, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. If you have any questions about e-signature or over the phone payment, please call our office at the number below.