Indiana Bail Bond Process

The reason for having a bail bond system in place is to assure the presence of a criminal defendant in court on the scheduled day. It is important for anyone recently involved in an arrest or bail bond contract to know how the bail bond process in Indiana works.

In a typical Indiana bail bond case, steps such as these are common occurrences:

First a friend, family member, lawyer, or the defendant themselves will call a bail bond company for bail bond assistance.
Once the bail bondsman is contacted, he/she will try to collect as much basic information as he/she can, concerning the case. For example: a) Where the defendant is being detained, b) On what charged were they arrested for, c) How long they will be held, d) Employment information, e) Residency information, f) Criminal history, etc.
Next, if the person chooses to accept the obligation of purchasing a bail bond, they will need to review and sign a short series of documents, including: A Bail Indemnity Agreement, a Bail Bond Application Form, and receipt of purchase.
In cases where the defendant is trying to bail themselves out of jail, some bail bond companies will dispatch a bondsman out to the jail. And for indemnities that are calling from out of state, some bail agents offer services through fax and email.
Once all the necessary information is collected and approved, a bail agent can then begin the process of “posting” the bond at the jail where the defendant is being held
Then the defendant will be released and free to go home.

Usually, a good bail bond company takes only a few hours to complete the entire bail bond process. About one to two hours max is standard. But the bail bond process cannot begin until the jail system is done processing the defendant. This can take longer than a few hours depending on the charges.

For all these services, the obliged person is charged a fee, which differs state to state. In Indiana, the fee is typically between 10-15% of the premium bail amount. So if the bond amount is set at $10,000, the fee to post their bond would be $1,000-$1,500. In the state of Indiana, most bail bond companies charge an additional $5 fee for the Fallen Officers Fund. Some bail bond companies will also offer payment plans for bond fees. This depends on the charges and the amount the bond is set at.

Bail bonds work when it requires the involvement of friends and family, or possible collateral. It greatly reduces the risk of someone skipping bon. This allows the bail bond companies to rest assure the defendant will show up for their scheduled court dates. Because the bail bond company essentially “fronts” the defendants full bail amount, they are financially responsible for the full bond amount if the defendant skips their court date. If this were to happen, the bail agent can hire a bounty hunter or request a warrant out for their arrest and have them brought in. They would be held in custody until their next scheduled court date.

This is the standard bail bond process for Indiana. If a friend or loved one has been recently arrested, and needs bailed out of jail, be sure to know the steps in the right direction in the bail bond process.