How Bail Bond Work?
1. Judge Sets Bail: A judge will usually hold a bail hearing for someone who has been charged with a crime. The judge has the authority to set the bail amount. If the prisoner faces serious charges or seems likely to pose a slight risk, the court may completely refuse bail or set it at an absurdly high amount.
2. Amount of Bail: Judges can set bail with a great deal of discretion; the average amount varies depending on the jurisdiction. The amount of bail for a person facing a nonviolent misdemeanor might be $500. Bail for felonies is often rather expensive, often amounting to $20,000 or more.
3. Choices of Defendant: The defendant has the following options when the bail amount is determined:
- Stay in jail until the allegations are settled during the trial.
- Set up a bail bond.
- Until the case is concluded, pay the entire bail amount.
- Certain jurisdictions allow their courts to take title to a home or other valuable collateral in place of money.
4. Written Commitments to Court: Bail bondmen, sometimes known as bail bond agents, provide criminal courts with written commitments to pay the whole bail amount in the event that the defendants whose presence they guarantee don’t show up for their scheduled trials.
5. Commission to Bondsmen: In exchange for their services, bail bondsmen often demand 10% of the whole bail sum upfront. They may also impose extra costs. There is 8% restriction on the amount charged in certain states.
6. Declaration of Creditworthiness: A creditworthiness declaration or the defendant’s surrender of assets or other property as collateral may also be demanded by the agent. In general, bail bond agents take the majority of valuable property, such as stocks and bonds, in addition to vehicles, jewels, and homes.