Bail bonds are a remarkable asset, and privilege for that matter, for anyone who needs to surrender to an arrest warrant or bail someone out of jail. In order to reap the most benefits from bail bond services, it is important to know your responsibility in the process.

Continue reading to learn which steps to take before and after obtaining a bail bond, whether for yourself or for someone else.

Bail Bond Services Indianapolis Indiana 317-876-9600

Bail Bonds and Alternative Options

As someone who needs to obtain a release from jail, you have more than one option to choose from. You can use a bail bond, which allows you to only pay a small percentage of the bond premium, or you can pay the jail directly, which would force you to pay the full bond premium in cash or collateral. Examples of collateral include real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, stocks, and any other liquid asset. Bail bond companies will also accept collateral as a form of payment for their services. Of course, you can skip both options and just stay in jail until your court hearing.

Do This BEFORE Contacting a Bail Bondsman

The first thing you want to do when preparing to bail yourself or someone else out of jail is gather all the necessary information you will need for the process. If you are preparing to surrender to an arrest warrant, you will need to review the arrest warrant documents to learn which county you are wanted in and the guidelines for turning yourself into authorities. If you are bailing someone else out of jail, your first duty is to find out where they are being detained and what charges.

If you know which jail the person is being detained at, it is recommended that you contact the jail and ask for the inmate’s booking number. If the person called you from jail, ask them to request their booking number from a jail staffer. If you have no way of knowing any of this information, do not worry; this is what bail bond companies do. They can gather all of this information for you, which is why bail bond services are one of the most convenient options for obtaining a release from jail.

While on the phone with the jail, ask how much the bail is set for. Again, a bail bondsman can get this information for you. If you have trouble with the task. If you have the bail amount, you can better calculate how much you will need to pay a bail bondsman for their services. Typically, the bondsman charge between 10% and 15% of the total bond premium.

For instance, if bail is set for $5000, a bail bondsman will charge a nonrefundable fee of $500 to $750 for their services. Bail bond fees are not refunded back once the defendant appears for court. If you choose to pay the jail directly, although you pay the entire bond premium upfront, you are refunded the money back, so long as the defendant appears for court as scheduled. This is known as a cash bond.

Before contacting a bail bondsman, all you really need to know is where the person is Once you have held or where you are wanted for an arrest warrant surrender. The location is really the most important piece of information to have for the bail bond agent.

Do This AFTER Getting a Bail Bond

Once you have hired a bail bondsman, you will be required to fill out a series of paperwork including a bail bond agreement, which is a legally binding contract. If you are bailing someone else out of jail, you will be responsible for paying back the remaining bond premium if that person does not appear for court. This is called bail jumping, and it is a moderately serious offense. So, using the using the example before, if you paid $500 for a bail bond to get someone out of jail, you will have to pay back the remaining $4500 if they skip their court appearance, known as bail forfeiture.

After you’ve filled out all of your paperwork. All you have to do is wait for the bail bondsman to do the job. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to 8 hours or more, depending on certain variables. For example, if the person you are bailing out of jail was arrested under the influence of alcohol, they will not be eligible for release until they are deemed sober, which is generally between 6 to 8 hours. A bail bondsman cannot get them out of jail sooner. It is recommended to just wait 6 to 8 hours before attempting to bail someone out of jail who was arrested while intoxicated. Other variables include the number of jail staff available, the current traffic at the jail, and the same variables within the court.

Are you looking for a trusted bail bond agency in Central Indiana who can help you get your loved one, out of jail or surrendered to an arrest warrant? 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.

Surety Bonds

A surety bond is the most common type of bail bond used to obtain a release from jail in the United States. It is more commonly referred to as a bail bond. The standard bail bond method involves hiring a licensed bail bondsman to enable a persons’ release from jail. Bail bondsmen are the more popular choice for anyone looking to bail a person out of jail because of the ease and affordability. Most people could never afford the pay the entire bond amount to the courts to get out of jail. A bail agency will only charge 10-15% of the bond amount (which is usually in the mid-high thousands) for their services. They parties involved with the bail process will be required to sign agreements, contracts, and other documents guaranteeing they will show up for their scheduled court hearing and not skip bond. If they do not appear for court, a warrant will be issued for their arrest, and the co-signer of the bond will be accountable to pay the remainder bond amount to the courts, or face legal penalties.

Cash Bonds

A cash bond is an unlikely choice for many U.S. citizens who are arrested and detained on minor charges. The reason for this is that a cash bond requires a person to pay the courts the full bond amount, usually between $2,000 and $10,000, but upwards of $20,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the charges and criminal history of the defendant. In many cases, people do not have this type of cash on hand, and if they did, could not afford to hand it over to the courts until their court date. Although it is expensive to use a cash bond, it is refundable so long as the person follows the courts rules and appears for all scheduled hearings.

Property Bonds

A property bond is typically used in major criminal cases that involve serious charges and high bond amounts. If a person is arrested on such charges, in order to obtain a release from jail, rather than wait in a jail cell for weeks until their court date, they can use a property bond. To use a property bond, a person must forgo their most expensive assets (i.e. houses, property, vehicles, stocks, etc.) to the court in exchange for their release from jail. After they show for their court dates and follow all instructions handed down by the judge, they will receive their properties back in their name.

There are several other types of bail bonds used in the industry as well. Stay tuned for next weeks blog to dive into some more bail bond definitions! In the mean time, call a licensed Indianapolis bail bonds for all your questions about bail, bonds, and more!

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Steps to Take Before and After Obtaining a Bail Bond for Someone