Two Types of Hybrid Bail Bonds in Indiana

Posted on April 14, 2022 by admin

There are so many questions that run through a person’s mind when they are faced with the responsibility of bailing someone else out of jail. What kind of liability am I taking on? Will this be expensive? When can I post their bail? How do I post their bail? Of all the common questions that erupt after an arrest in Indiana, not many have to do with the different types of bail bonds available for general public use. From surety bonds and cash bonds to OR releases, property bonds, PR bonds, and more, there are certainly choices out there. In fact, there are bail bonds available that combine two or more of the above-mentioned to form a brand new, hybrid bail bond.

Continue reading to learn more about hybrid bail bonds, including what they are, how they can help you get a person out of jail, and where to get started on the Indiana bail bond process no matter where you are in the state.

Hybrid Bail Bonds Combine 2 or More Traditional Bail Bonds

Before we mentioned the two most common hybrid bail bonds used in Indiana, first let us discuss the most common types of traditional bail bonds in Indiana: surety bonds, cash bonds, and OR release bonds. By having a basic understanding of these bail bond options, you will be able to better understand what hybrid bail bonds are and how they work.

Cash Bonds

A defendant’s full bail amount can be paid directly to the jail. This is known as cash bond. So long as the defendant appears for court, the money paid will be refunded in full. If the defendant does not appear for court, known as an, FTA (Failure to Appear), the money paid will be forfeited entirely. This type of bond does not require the services of a bail bond company.

Surety Bonds

A surety bond is your basic bail bond, and the best alternative to a cash bond. A client pays a bail bondsman a percentage of the full bail amount instead of paying the full bond amount themselves, out of pocket. For example, if the person’s bail is set at 10K, you can choose to pay the full $10,000 in cash to the jail, or you can choose to hire a bail bond agent and pay only 10% to 15% of the 10K. If you use a bail agent, you do not get a refund.

Personal Recognizance Bond

A personal recognizance bond in Indiana is similar to an OR bond. In a typical OR bond scenario, the defendant simply signs an agreement promising to appear for all court dates; no bail is set, and no bond is paid. Here in Indiana, the court might offer a PR bond, or personal recognizance bond, which allows a co-signer (generally a family member or spouse) to post the bond. Under a PR bond, defendants are not allowed to sign for themselves like they would be in an OR bond scenario.

Hybrid Bail Bonds

Now that you have a basic understanding of the most common types of bail bonds used in Indiana, we can discuss hybrid bail bonds. Now, the term hybrid bail bonds is not official. It is colloquially used to describe how two typical bail bonds can be combined to create a new type of bond. In Indiana, the hybrid bonds we often see are XR bonds and XC bonds.

XR Bonds – When you combine a PR bond with a surety bond, you get an XR bond.

XC Bonds – When you combine a surety bond with a cash bond, you get an XC bond.

Are you looking for the fastest and easiest way to get your friend out of jail in Indy? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for the fastest and friendliest bail bond services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Request a free estimate or information, anytime.

Do I Surrender to the Jail for a Bench Warrant?

Posted on April 6, 2022 by admin

Warrants can be confusing to anyone, regardless of intellectual quotient. This is especially true since there are multiple kinds of warrants. You may already be familiar with arrest warrants, but there are also bench warrants issued for defendants of the county or city. If you are currently facing a bench warrant, it is important to take the responsible and lawfully-expected steps to remedy your legal matters. Otherwise, you could be surrendering to the jail and spending time there while awaiting your bail to be posted.

Continue reading to learn how to avoid jail time if you have just been issued a bench warrant in Indiana.

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How to Manage a Bench Warrant

You were issued a bench warrant because you missed a court date. There could be other reasons, but this is the most common one. If you do not take care of a bench warrant responsibly and in a way that the state or county expects you to, then you could be faced with an actual arrest warrant, which would force you to surrender to the jail.

What to Do To Recall a Bench Warrant:

To satisfy a bench warrant, it is best to contact the county clerks’ office. You may also call or visit the local courthouse or police department in the county of the warrant.

Tell them about your bench warrant, then they will make arrangements for you to come in, in person, and pay the bail associated with the warrant. This step will keep you from being named in an arrest warrant.

Once you pay the bail, the court or judge will recall the bench warrant. If you cannot afford to pay the bail, you may be able to hire a licensed Indiana bail bondsman to act as a surety. They will cover the full cost, but only charge you a small, nonrefundable fee. But keep in mind that most bail bondsmen will not cover bail payments for bench warrants.

Since you missed your court date, your bail money has already been forfeited, so a bail bondsman would not likely pay your bond for you under the normal indemnity arrangement. This also means that you cannot get your bail money back from the court after you satisfy your bench warrant. If you ask the courts, they may grant you credit for your court fines and fees. But this is rare.

Are you ready to learn more about bail bond options in Indiana? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for speedy and secure bail bond services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants and probation violations, too.

Everything You Need to Know About Bail Money

Posted on March 29, 2022 by admin

When a person is arrested or facing an arrest warrant, money is always one of the first points of priority. Arrest warrant defendants, as well as friends and loved ones of those arrested, want to know how much it will cost to get out of jail and whether or not they get their money refunded.

Continue below to learn what you need to know about bail money, including how much bail costs, terms of bail money refunds, where to get the cheapest bail, and more.

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Bail Money is What You Need

If someone is arrested, money will be required in almost all cases, whether that money is used to hire a lawyer to defend the charges, buy a bail bond, pay court fees, pay fines upon conviction, or pay a combination of them all. As for bail alone, there are several ways to spend money on obtaining a release from jail, that is, if the defendant is granted bail privileges. There are some criminal charges and circumstances that will revoke a person’s right to bail, like murder or being a previous flight risk.

Average Cost of Bail

The cost of bail will depend on several factors, mostly how much the bail was set at by the judge, the defendant’s criminal history, and whether a person chooses to hire a bail bond company or pay the courts directly. If you choose to pay the courts directly, you will be paying the entire bail premium, which is what the judge sets the bail at. This is usually in the thousands, even as high as tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. If you choose to hire a bail bond company, you only pay a fraction of the bail premium. This has long been the more affordable and rational approach to getting bailed out of jail.

Bail Money Refunds

There is only one way you get refunded bail money and that is if you choose to pay the courts directly. Again, this is a very extreme and risky approach since you have to let go of a large sum of cash or collateral all at once. Not many people have an extra $10,000 or $50,000 laying around for emergency needs. But for those who do, they can choose to pay the court directly, and as long as the defendant appears for court, they get the money refunded. If you hire a bail bond company, you only pay a fraction of the bail premium, but you do not get this money back. Furthermore, the person who signs for the bail bond is liable for paying back the remaining bail premium if the bailee skips out on court.

Free Bail Money

If you are looking for bail money, do not give up. There is really no such thing as free bail money, especially because there is no state or government financial assistance for bail bond expenses. In all cases, someone is paying for bail, even if you get someone else to cover the cost for you.

Do you need to surrender to a warrant or get someone out of jail in Central Indiana? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bonds in Indianapolis, or anywhere in Central Indiana. We also offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants.

How to Make the Best Out of an Arrest

Posted on March 24, 2022 by admin

Getting in trouble with the law is never fun, but there are ways to cope responsibly, and therefore, in the best interest of your future and freedoms. If you were recently arrested in Indiana, or just found out that you are named in an arrest warrant, your first priority is to get out of jail. From there, follow these tips for making the best of an arrest, regardless of how serious the criminal charges.

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How to Turn a Negative into a Positive

You’ve heard all the platitudes before; “Turn a negative into a positive;” or “When life throws you lemons, make lemonade.” But these are not so helpful when you are feeling distressed about possible criminal convictions and penalties. However, platitudes aside, there is a way to make the best out of your current situation. Whether you were already arrested and now you are awaiting trial, or you are facing an arrest warrant and still have yet to surrender to authorities, these tips can help guide you in the most positive direction, regardless of your case’s outcome.

Get Out of Jail As Soon As Possible

If you have already been released from jail, this tip does not apply to you. For those who are facing an arrest warrant, you will need to surrender sooner than later. Fortunately, you are in a good position to get out of jail fast, which, by the way, is something you definitely want to accomplish. The faster you get out of jail, the sooner you can hire a skilled lawyer to represent you in court. This gives you security by reducing your chances of being sentenced to the maximum penalties for your charges, like prison time and heavy fines.

Getting released from custody is also important because it allows you to get back to life without any major interruption, like school, work, family, and more. And getting back to your life is critical to your emotional health after an arrest.

To get out of jail fast, hire a local and trusted Indianapolis bail bondsman with loads of experience. The longer they have been in business, the better. They will have the best relationships with the local jail staff and courthouse, giving them an upper hand when it comes to posting clients’ bonds. Additionally, you must find an Indiana bail bond agency that provides prearranged bail bond services for arrest warrant surrenders. Not all bail bondsmen offer arrest warrant bail bond assistance, so be sure to ask before moving forward.

Lean on Family and Friends For Support

Your social circles and family play important roles in your post-arrest life. Lean on them for guidance, support, and most importantly, love. This will take a bit of humility and humbleness, as you will need to address the matter that landed you in trouble with the law. Having this open communication will elicit trust from your friends and family, motivating them to be there for you even more.

Start New Goals

An arrest is a real eye-opener. It is a milestone in one’s life. It is also a great opportunity to pivot. If you have been looking for a fresh start with a clean slate, your arrest may help push you in that direction. Get fit, enroll in classes, volunteer, join community organizations, start training for a marathon, apply for a promotion, get a new job, find love, have kids, or whatever it is that has always interested you. Just be sure that whatever you do, it is within the court-ordered guidelines and in accordance with the terms and conditions of your bail bond agreement.

Are you looking for a bail bond agency that can help you surrender to an arrest warrant or get your loved one out of jail the fastest? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for prearranged arrest warrant bail bond service in Indianapolis and all surrounding counties. We serve all of Northern, Central, and Southern Indiana.

What are the Consequences of Bail Jumping in Indiana?

Posted on March 16, 2022 by admin

Failing to appear for a scheduled court hearing for a criminal charge will result in certain punishment. The extent of such punishment will vary depending on a wide range of factors, but mostly, it will depend on your excuse. Continue reading to learn how a criminal defendant might be penalized for jumping bail in Indiana, plus what you should do if you have just missed your court date while out on bail.

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Missing Court is a Failure to Appear

Missing a court hearing for criminal charges is recorded and labeled as a Failure to Appear (FTA), but if the defendant is released on bail, it is also regarded as bail jumping. When a criminal defendant does not show up for their scheduled court hearing, there are some expected legal consequences on both the criminal law side and the bail bond side. This applies whether their hearing is being held remotely via online video conferencing, or in-person at the attorney’s office or courthouse.

Missing a criminal hearing is serious business if you are the defendant. Not only can you get in trouble with the state, but you can also be penalized by the bail bond company that facilitated your release from jail. If you had a co-signer sign your bail bond agreement, they too can be held liable.

The Top 3 Consequences of Jumping Bail

Bail Bond Forfeiture

When a person is released on bond, they are promising to appear for court. If they do not show up for their hearing, they immediately forfeit their bond. This means they do not get their money back if they posted their bond directly with the jail. If they used a bail bond service, they are legally required to pay back the remaining bond premium in addition to the bail bond fee that has already been paid.

Criminal Charges

In addition to losing a massive amount of cash, which just adds to the legal fines and fees you will have to pay for come sentencing, bail jumping will also land you in more legal trouble. Not only will you still be facing your original criminal charges, but the state can pursue a separate set of criminal charges for skipping your court hearing. Two sets of criminal charges means more money, more penalties, and more time.

Delayed Criminal Justice

The whole point of showing up for court is to face your criminal charges, do your time, and move forward with your life. One of the main consequences of bail jumping is that your criminal charges take longer to go away. Jumping bail causes more legal chaos in your world, especially since they can bring on a separate set of criminal charges, thus prolonging the judicial process for your original charges. This is even worse for those who are innocent and must fight their charges for vindication.

Do you need to surrender to an arrest warrant or get a friend out of jail? Are you looking for the easiest and fastest way to do that? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for the fastest and friendliest bail bond services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Request a free estimate or information, anytime.

Do I Have to Check In With My Bail Bondsman After Being Released From Jail?

Posted on March 11, 2022 by admin

There are many terms and conditions a bail applicant must comply with in order to qualify for bail bond services. Whether or not they will be required to physically check in with the bondsman after they have been released from jail will depend on a few factors.

Continue below to learn when a bail bondsman might require periodic check ins and how they might go about arranging such meetings.

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Bail Bond Agreements

When you bail a person out of jail using bail bond services, you will be required to sign a contract that will legally bind you to all financial responsibility in the case that the inmate does not appear for court. If the inmate you are bailing out of jail flees, you will owe their entire bond premium under law. To avoid this liability turning into a financial disaster, it is important to sign a bail bond contract on behalf of someone you really trust or can keep tabs on while awaiting the initial hearing.

Within a conventional bail bond agreement, you will have your basic requirements, like not being allowed to leave the state or committing any more crimes. But some bail bond agreements can be customized to add a clause for periodic check ins. Bail bond companies might ask a bail applicant to routinely check in with their office under certain circumstances.

Periodic Check Ins May Be Required If…

A bail bond agency might require the indemnified to check in with them if the person they bailed out of jail is a known flight risk, meaning they have a history of fleeing the justice system or the community in general.

Another reason might be because it is a high stakes criminal case. For instance, if someone is arrested on multi-felony drug trafficking charges, they might be considered a person who might consider fleeing.

Lastly, a bail bond agent may require periodic check ins if the court system is significantly delayed over a long period of time. For instance, if you are arrested, but your court date is pushed back for a year or more, you might be asked to check in with the agency that implemented your bail bond service.

Ways to Check in With a Bail Agent:

► In Person at Their Office – A bail agency might require in-person, physical check ins at their office location.

► Over the Phone – Some bail bond companies will permit phone calls as a form of checking in. They may insist on FaceTime, but not require it.

► Via Online Conference – A bail bondsman may allow their clients to check in virtually to save on traveling expenses and time using portals like Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime.

► Online Check In – Larger, national bail bond agencies may have a private software system and application that allows their clients to check in via the web.

► GPS Ankle Bracelets – In serious cases, a bail bondsman might require their client to wear a GPS ankle monitoring system. This is rare, and usually is required by the courts rather than the bondsman.

Are you looking for a friendly bail bondsman to help you surrender to a warrant or bail your loved one out of jail in Indiana? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for fast and secure bail bond service in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties.

The Responsibilities of a Bail Bond Contract
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What are the Advantages of Disadvantages of Using a Cash Bond?

Posted on February 23, 2022 by admin

When the term bond is used in the criminal justice system, it refers to a guarantee. This guarantee promises the appearance of a defendant in court. If they do not appear for court, or otherwise flee to evade their criminal charges, they will have a warrant issued for their re-arrest, and they will be liable for paying back their full bond amount.

After being arrested, a defendant’s bond will be set by the presiding judge. The 8th Amendment protects defendants from excessive bail, and all states follow a set bail schedule as a basis for setting bail. A defendant has the option of using a bail bond service or a cash bond.

Continue below to learn the difference between the two types of bail options, plus the pros and cons of using a cash bond to get out of jail.

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Bail Bonds Versus Cash Bonds

To understand the difference between using a bail bond and a cash bond, an example is the best way to go. Let’s say your bail is set at $5,000. You have the option of hiring a local bail bond agency and using a bail bond to get released from jail, or you can pay the jail directly via a cash bond.

Bail Bonds

If you use a bail bond, you will have to sign a legally-binding contract and pay a non-refundable fee. The fee is a set percentage of your bond premium, which in this example is $5,000. So, if the bail bond agency charges a 10% fee, you would pay $500 for bail bond service, and this fee will not be refunded to you under any circumstances.

Under a bail bond agreement, you are liable for the entire $5,000 if you do not appear for court. You see, the bail bondsman pays the court or jail the full bond amount, then charges you a fee for that service. Once you appear for your court hearing, the bail bondsman is refunded the $5,000 in full. This is known as indemnity service.

Cash Bonds

If you use a cash bond, you do not have to hire a county bail bondsman. Instead, you would simply make a direct payment to the jail or court. However, this payment must be in full, which in this example would be $5,000 in cash or collateral. So long as you appear for your court hearing, you will receive all of this money back, minus any related court fees.

PROS:

☑ You pay a smaller fee for a release from jail.
☑ They are simple and straightforward.
☑ You can make a payment at the jail.
☑ No qualifications are needed.
☑ You can use cash or approved forms of collateral.

CONS:

☒ You have to come up with a large amount of cash on the spot.
☒ You can use collateral, but this puts your assets in jeopardy.
☒ Defendants might not get all their cash back if they owe child support or back taxes.

Are you looking for trusted and friendly bail bond solutions in Indiana? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bond services you can trust. We also offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants.

Can I Get a Refund For My Bail Bond if My Charges are Dismissed?

Posted on February 16, 2022 by admin

Our United States Constitution says that all citizens are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. In many cases, defendants are in fact innocent, and ultimately, get their charges dismissed. However, this does not mean that the arrest experience is erased. A person will still be arrested and taken to jail under the suspicion that they are guilty of committing a crime. In such cases, a person will have to pay for bail bond service if they want to be released from jail prior to their initial court appearance. Of course, they have the option to pay the jail their bond amount full, but many people do not have this type of cash availability.

Many defendants whose criminal charges are ultimately dismissed want to know if they can get refunded for the bail bond fee. Continue reading to learn more about this, including why bail bonds are nonrefundable.

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Bail Bond Payments are Nonrefundable

In all cases and scenarios, bail bond fees and payments are nonrefundable. So, if you use bail bond services for let’s say an arrest warrant surrender, but later your criminal charges are dismissed, you will not get a refund for any payments you made to the bail bond company that assisted your release from jail.

Bail Bond Rates

The fees charged by bail bondsmen are regulated by the state. Bail bond agents do not make up their own fees. Most of the time, the Indiana Department of Insurance allows bail bond agencies to charge anywhere between 10% and 15% of a defendant’s bond premium. Currently, Indiana is allowing bail bondsmen to charge as low as 8% for those who qualify.

Here is an example: If your bond premium is set at $10,000 by the judge and the bail bondsman charges a 10% fee, you would pay $1,000 for a bail bond and that money would not be refunded back to you even if your charges are dismissed.

If you want your bond money refunded to you, your only option would be to pay the courts directly and in the full amount. Using the example from before, you would give $10,000 in cash to the courts in exchange for a release from jail. So long as you appear for your scheduled court hearing, you will be refunded the 10K.

Are you looking for a friendly and dependable bail bondsman who can help you get yourself or a loved one out of jail as fast as possible? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bond services you can trust. We also offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants.

What You Need to Know About Indianapolis Bail Bonds

Posted on February 8, 2022 by admin

Being arrested or facing arrest is a serious situation to be in no matter who you are. If you are facing arrest warrant surrender or someone you care about has just been arrested, you may be trying to figure out the fastest way to get out of jail in Indianapolis. Bail bond services are the best way to get a fast and secure release from the Marion County Jail.

Continue reading to learn the top facts you need to know about Indianapolis bail bonds before getting started with the Indiana bail bond process.

Indianapolis Bail Bond Process

The purpose of bail bonds is to ensure the attendance of a criminal defendant in court on their hearing date after being recently involved in an arrest or bail bond contract. For anyone that has been arrested or bailed out of jail in Indiana recently, it is crucial to understand the stipulations, responsibilities, and rules regarding bail out procedures. You’re the most important facts you need to know:

Bail bond services are not free. If you hire a bail bondsman to get yourself or loved one out of jail, the fee you pay for their services is nonrefundable. Bail bondsman charge anywhere between 10% and 15% of a defendant’s bond premium. So, if the bond is set at $10,000 and the bail agent charges a 10% rate, you would pay $1,000 for a bail bond, and it would not be refunded back to you. If you or the defendant you are signing for fails to appear for court, you will then owe the remaining $9,000 back to the bail bond company.

You can pay the court directly instead of using bail bond service. You have another option besides using a bail bond company to get a release from jail. You can pay the courts directly, but most people don’t do this because it’s very expensive. Unless you have an extra $10,000 in cash or collateral laying around, it is not likely that you’re not going to be capable of using this option. If you do, this money is refunded back to you. So long as the defendant appears for court.

Intoxicated or inebriated defendants are not eligible for bail right away. If your loved one or friend is arrested under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they will not be eligible for bail until they are deemed sober by the jail staff and court system. This time frame usually lasts between 6 and 8 hours but can extend further depending on the state of inebriation. In this case, you would not need to contact a bail bond company for release from jail for at least 6 to 8 hours since there’s nothing they can do until the defendant is sober and can be processed into the jail’s database.

Bail bond services operate 24 hours a day. If your friend or loved one is arrested in the middle of the night or even early in the morning, a bail bond company is available to help them get those from jail. Bail bond businesses operate on a twenty-four hour basis, including weekends, with some even operating on national holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving.,

Are you looking for a fast and easy way to get your friend out of jail in Indianapolis? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bond services you can trust. We also offer prearranged bail bond service for arrest warrants.

Is it Free to Look Someone Up in Jail?

Posted on February 3, 2022 by admin

You know your friend or loved one was arrested, but that’s about all you know. You need to find out where they are being held. But are jail inmate lookup services free? Continue reading to learn what you need to know about located a jailed person in Indiana.

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Jail Inmate Lookup Services

There are many portals available online that provide jail inmate look-ups. These directory services are generally free of charge, but some do charge a fee. Inmate lookup portals that do charge fees will generally run you between $10 and $25. This depends on the particular website you use.

But there is really no need to use these online portals, let alone spend even a dime of your hard-earned money when doing so. There is a little secret that many are unaware of; a method of locating a jailed inmate fast and free.

Contact a Local Indianapolis Bail Bondsman

A trusted and experienced bail bond agency will be happy to provide free inmate lookup services in Indiana. All you have to do is call and give them a little information; or at least as much as you can give. They have the resources and software to immediately locate your friend or loved one, plus divulge some of the details of their arrest, such as the county of arrest, their criminal charges, and how much their bail is set for.

This information is what you need to get the bail process started; that is, if you plan to get them released from jail. A bail bondsman will be happy to give you all the information you need to post your friend or loved one’s bail. If you choose the more cost-efficient option of using a bail bond, the same bail bond agent can help you and begin the process immediately. You can also choose to pay the full bond amount directly to the jail, which is very expensive and risky.

Bail Bonds Versus Paying the Jail

Why does it make more sense to use bail bond services to get someone out of jail? Well, let’s look at an example that can help you better understand:

Your friend’s bail is set at $10,000. You have three options:

1) Let them stay in jail until their initial hearing. This is free.

2) Pay the jail $10,000 in cash. You will get this money back if your friend appears for court.

3) Pay a bail bondsman $1,000 to $1,500 in cash or collateral. You do not get this money back. If your friend does not appear for court, you are legally responsible for paying back the remaining $10,000. So, be sure you trust the person you are bailing out of jail.

Are you looking for a friendly and experienced bail bond agent to help you get your friend out of jail in Indiana? Contact Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for trusted, secure, and professional bail bond services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve all of Central Indiana and its surrounding counties with 24 hour service.