If you have a friend or family member in jail, you may be looking for ways to help him or her out. One way that you can help is by hiring a bond agent. While many people know that if you pay a bond agent, he or she can help your loved one be released, there are still things that people don’t commonly know. Here are four facts about the bail bond process that you may not have known.
States Regulate Bail Bonds
Some people show up at the bond agent’s office with hopes to negotiate bail. The state is what regulates the bond costs. Bail bond companies cannot overcharge you and you cannot bargain with them for a better deal. Knowing this in advance can make the whole process go a lot smoother.
Bail Bonds Are Loans
Warren County bail bonds are loans. The court sets a price for a defendant’s release. If you or the defendant cannot pay the price, you can go to a bond agent. You generally pay about 10% of the cost to the bondsman and he or she pays the rest to the court. When the defendant shows up at court, then the bond agent has the money returned.
Bail Cannot Be Excessive
The constitution does not allow for bail to be excessive. Bail is not a way for the government or justice system to raise a profit. The bail is supposed to fit the crime and the person’s circumstance. For example, if someone commits a crime for the first time and is not a flight risk, he or she should not have a high bail amount.
Bounty Hunters Cannot Hurt the Defendant
If the defendant does not show up to his or her hearing, a bond agent can hire a bounty hunter. Bounty hunters are individuals who search for individuals and deliver them to the authorities. Generally, bounty hunters earn a paycheck through a percentage of the bond.
While a bounty hunter can apprehend the defendant, he or she is not allowed to rough the person up. If people are injured, the hunter could be held accountable for any damages or injuries to the defendant or third parties.
A lot of people have a misconception about how the bail bonds process works. When you go to a bondsman to help release a loved one, it helps to understand the process’s ins and outs. No one wants to be surprised by the process.
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