You have probably heard about bail bonds or unconditional bail bonds on the news or in the paper. But what exactly does it mean to post a bond? When a person is arrested due to a crime they commit, they are kept in jail pending their first court appearance. The judge will then make a decision whether to release the defendant on bail or hold them, depending on their charges. If the defendant is able to be released on bail, they will need to come up with the money quickly. This is where a local bail bondsman comes in handy.
Best Way to Get a Bail Bond
Bail Bond Defined
In order to acquire a bail bond, it is important that you understand its meaning. A bail bond is considered a surety bond provided by a bond agent or bondsman. The bond assists in securing your release from jail. The two types of bail bonds are:
- Criminal bail bond- This is only used for criminal cases and means that the defendant must appear in trial once scheduled by the court. It is also a guaranteed type of payment for all penalties and fines that have been decided by the court for the defendant’s crimes.
- Civil bail bond- This type of bond is only used in civil court cases and guarantees payment of any debt in addition to interest and costs.
Bail Payment Option
When a person is arrested, they must remain in jail unless they can assure that they will appear in court on their scheduled date. If an individual is unable to pay their bail amount in full, there are companies available to provide a variety of payment options.
Most people that have been arrested are unable to post bail on their own in full. By using a bail bondsman, you will have to pay either 10% or 20% of the total bail. This will vary depending on the type of criminal offense, background checks, and others. Bail bond fees are similar to insurance premiums and are set by surety companies.
Bail bond companies accept the following payment methods:
- Personal checks
- Local checks
- Mastercard
- Visa
- Discover
- Credit terms available
- American Express
- Western Union
Bond Collateral
A written guarantee or a personal signature is required as security on a bond in most cases. For higher amounts, the bail bond must have collateral as a backup that is of sufficient value to cover the amount in full. By not appearing in court, the defendant will violate the conditions of their bail which means the bond company can take possession of the collateral.
Some examples of collateral items are recreational vehicles, securities, electronics, boats, and others. This type of collateral is held until the terms of the bond agreement have been met in full. There are even some cases where the collateral may be land or even a house.
