What is Bail Bond Forfeiture?

Bail Bonds Indianapolis 317-876-9600

Bail Bonds Indianapolis 317-876-9600

When a person is arrested, a bond amount is set. Depending on the charges, bond amounts can vary from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand or more. In this scenario, a person can either pay the entire bond amount in full with personal cash, or be released from jail on a cash bond. This means they can choose to pay a percentage of their total bond amount to a third-party agency. And the standard third-party agency in this equation is a bail bond company.

By entering into a legal agreement, a person can pay a bail bondsman a percentage of the total bond to avoid liquidating all their cash for a release from jail. In Indiana, this percentage is between 10 and 15 percent. So if your total bond amount is $5,000 and you wish to get out of jail to await your scheduled hearing, you can either pay the five thousand in full, only to receive it back once you appear for court, or you can pay a bail bond company ten to fifteen percent of $5,000 instead. The bail bond fee is non-refundable, but it is generally a better financial scenario for most people, making it worth the cost.

Bailed Out of Jail on a Cash Bond

If a person gets bailed out of jail on a cash bond, they have entered into a contractual agreement with the bail bond agency. This agreement contains several stipulations, the most important of which is to appear for all court hearings on time and not violate any court orders. Failing to meet any of these requirements and more will result in the courts declaring a bail bond forfeited. This is what a bail bond forfeiture means.

If a person signs a bail agreement and then fails to appear for court or violates court orders, the bail bondsmen have a preset time period to locate them and bring them back into court; but if they fail to do so after this time period is up, they are required to pay the initial full bond amount as a penalty. And since the contractual agreement states that the signer of the bail bond is responsible for this penalty, the bail agency can rightfully take legal action against them for the money.

This also means that if anyone co-signs for a bail bond to get someone out of jail, they are agreeing to take full responsibility for the defendant if they fail to show for court or violate court orders. In this case, the bail agency can take legal action against the co-signer if they cannot locate the defendant. This is why it is important to never co-sign a bail bond for a person you hardly know.

Woods Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds Indiana

Woods Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to get out of jail in Indianapolis and central Indiana. Licensed and insured bail bondsman, James Woods, and his team of experienced bail bondsmen, are eager to provide a prompt and professional release from jail for anyone arrested in Indiana. We have offices located throughout the entire state, making our services available for anyone, anywhere. We offer 24 hour bail bonds, as well as, notary services, jail information, pickup and drop off services, and much more. Call 317-876-9600 for fast and friendly
Indianapolis bail bond services you can trust.

Ignore Advertisements for 5% Bail Bonds!

Most licensed bail bond companies are reputable and provide honest service, but unfortunately, there are some bad apples out there too. This is why it is important to be careful when it comes to hiring an agency to get yourself or a friend out of jail. You don’t want to be deceived by false advertisements for discounted bail bonds and shady fly-by-the-night companies. However, the process of hiring a bail bond company can be confusing for first-timers, so it is understandable that some might fall victim to false advertising in the industry.

Indianapolis  Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Discount Bail Bonds

One of the most common cons offered by unethical or corrupt bail bondsmen are 5 percent bail bonds. But discount bail bonds are not real! If you have been looking around for a bail bondsman in Indiana, don’t be fooled by advertisements for 5% bail bonds. This kind of claim is more than just false, it is illegal. The state regulates just how much a bail bond company can charge for their services, and for all states, that percentage is either 10% or 15% depending on the city or state you live in. So the lowest percentage a bail bondsman can charge for their services is 10 percent of a clients’ total bond amount, and never lower under any circumstances.

So if a bail bond company is advertising bail bonds at 5% your bond amount, they are not telling you the truth. If this ever happens to you, simply continue your search for an ethical company to hire. Doing business with an untrustworthy bail bond agency can cause you a lot of money, time, and frustration. You never want to put yourself in a situation where another person can take advantage of your naivety as well as your money. It is important to choose an experienced and qualified bail bondsman to ensure you are not being misled in any way.

Indianapolis Bail Bonds You Can Trust

Woods Bail Bonds Indiana

Woods Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for Indianapolis bail bond services you know you can rely on. Owner, James Woods, and his team of professional bail bondsmen, are licensed, bonded, and insured, with decades of experience in the industry. Our bail bond company has served thousands of Hoosiers over the past 30 years, and continues to be among the most reputable and trusted agencies in Indiana. We offer free jail information, jail pick up and drop off services, notary services, prearranged bail bonds, and much more. Call 317-876-9600 and speak with a friendly and knowledgeable company representative about bail bond services in Indianapolis, IN and its surrounding counties, today.

How Do I Know if My Friend is in Jail?

Indiana Inmate Search

Indiana Inmate Search 317-876-9600

Did you and your friend get separated last night and you don’t know where they are? Did your roommate not come home last night? Have you have tried to call your friend repeatedly, but haven’t heard anything back in hours? Most often, a dead cell phone battery or deep sleep is the reason why you can’t get a hold of your friend. Unfortunately, it is also possible that they were arrested or taken to the hospital. Since it is less likely that your friend has been emitted to the hospital, it is best to start with the local jails.

Find your Friend in Jail

The first thing you want to do is contact your friend using the main source of communication between you two. Try to call, email, or text to try and get a response. If this does not work after a 3 -4 hours, then maybe they cannot be contacted for some reason. If it is still early in the morning, they might be sleeping in as a result of a late night. Wait until the afternoon, then attempt to re-contact them. If there is still no answer or response, then move on to the next plan of action.

Call the local police station. If you are on vacation, find out which county you are in, and the police station that has jurisdiction there. You can find this information on Google, call the operator, or ask a hotel representative. Once you make contact with the local police, simply ask them if they have an arrest on record from last night, and give them your friend’s name. They should be able to look up that information and disclose it to you without any problem. If for some reason they cannot give you this information, or you cannot make contact with them, there are other options.

There are free online databases that contain information about criminals and fugitives. You can look up any person that has a criminal record; whether that be a DUI or felony theft. There are also lists for arrest warrants and more. You may be able to find the arrest record of your friend on this portal if they have been processed already. Some jails are very busy, and processing each intake is a tedious task.

If all these attempts fail, your last chance is to call a bail bondsman. They may have access to these types of records, and can also help you get your friend out of jail fast. If there is still no information or you discover they are not in jail, check the hospitals next. If they are missing for more than 24 hours, call the police to file a missing persons’ report. It is also important to contact their family.

Woods Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds Indiana

Woods Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for inmate lookup and bail bond services in Marion County, Indiana. Indianapolis bail bondsman, James Woods, is licensed, bonded, and insured with decades of experience in the industry. We are highly trained and friendly bail bondsmen that are happy to help you locate a friend or loved one that’s been arrested in Indianapolis. Call 317-876-9600 and speak with a live bail bondsman in Marion County, IN right now.