Ignore Advertisements for 5% Bail Bonds!

Posted on March 9, 2016 by admin

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

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 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.

You SHOULD NOT Bail Someone Out of Jail if…

Posted on January 22, 2016 by admin

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Bail bonds are a very common, convenient, and efficient system for those arrested and detained in local jails. Often times when a person is arrested, they call a friend or loved one from jail in order to arrange a bail bond. The person they call will then arrange bail bond services to get them released from jail. This involves having the friend or loved one cosign for and post the defendants bond.

Since this is a sensitive and serious legal matter that involves money and trust, it is important to make a responsible decision if you are the one being asked to bail a person out of jail using a bail bond. Continue reading to learn three specific instances in which you should never bail a person from jail and why.

They Haven’t Called You in a Long Time

When you lose touch with a friend or family member, and you haven’t spoken in a few weeks or longer, it is not a good idea to post their bond if they call you out of the blue from jail. If you haven’t spoken to that person in a while, and the first time you hear from them is when they need you to cosign for a bail bond, it is not a positive situation. The first call after weeks of not talking should be to have lunch or catch up, not to pay for them to get out if jail. This could be an indication that they have burnt bridges with the people closest to them, which is why they are reaching out to someone they do not regularly talk to. Avoid bailing someone out of jail under these circumstances!

You Don’t Know Them Very Well

It is worse to bail a person out of jail if you don’t know them very well than it is if they call you out of the blue; however, both instances are big red flags. Never bail a person out of jail that you have just met or have only known for a little while. It takes years to truly know a person and trust their character, so if you don’t know much about a person, do not sign for their release from jail. This includes people you have only spoken to online, new co-workers, new boyfriends or girlfriends, friends of other friends, and of course, strangers.

You Don’t Understand the Terms of the Bail Bond Agreement

If you do not know what “co-signing” means, and the responsibility it entails in terms of a bail bond agreement, you should steer clear of bailing anyone from jail. A bail bond agreement is a serious contract that holds a co-signer legally liable for the cost of the defendant’s bond amount, which can be upwards of tens of thousands of dollars depending on their current criminal charges and past criminal record. A cosigner also takes on full legal liability in terms of making sure the defendant appears for all court hearings on time. This is a responsibility that should not be entered into lightly.

Hamilton County Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds Noblesville Indiana 317-770-7400

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-770-7400 to get out of jail in Hamilton County, Indiana today. Licensed bail bondsman, James Woods, is can get you a prompt and professional release from jail, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! We offer state and county bail bonds, federal bail bonds, immigration bonds, probation violation bonds, arrest warrant bonds, prearranged bail bonds, free jail information, free jail pickup and drop off services, notary services, and much more! Call 317-770-7400 for fast and friendly bail bonds in Noblesville, IN and its surrounding neighborhoods.

A Brief Overview of Bail Bonds and Bail Bondsmen

Posted on September 9, 2015 by admin

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

The term, bail bonds, may be relatively familiar to you if you watch a lot of cop shows, but there is much more to the bail bond industry than what you see on television. There are no bounty hunters or border chases, but there are many privileges bail bonds has to offer the citizens of our beloved country. Whether you need to perform a background scan, look up an inmate, check for active arrest warrants, get out of jail, or require a certified notary, a bail bondsman can provide safe and secure services at industry-controlled prices.

Continue reading for a brief overview of the bail bonds industry and the professionals who run it.

Bail Bonds

A bail bond is a formal legal document that provides bail in order to get a person (defendant) released from jail. A bail bondsman is a person, or company, that acts as a surety for the bail, and pledges money to the courts in exchange for a defendants release from jail. This money is then returned to the bail bondsman once the defendant completes all of their court-related obligations, such as hearings, trials, probation, and more.

If the defendant fails to appear for court or violates their court orders or bail bond agreement, the bail bondsman is forced to forfeit the money they pledged until they can locate the defendant and return them to the court to face their charges. In this case, the person who co-signed for the bail bond (generally a friend or family member) will be responsible to pay the bail bondsman the full bond amount they initially pledged for the defendant’s release from jail. It is all a bit complicated because bail agreements may vary just as every case varies as well. It is best to discuss these details with your local licensed Indianapolis bail bondsman.

Cost of Bail

Bail bonds are price-controlled by the state and vary according to local ordinances. The general price cap for bail bonds in most states is ten to fifteen percent of the full bond amount. For example, if a defendant’s bond is set at $5,000 and the state allows a 15% bail bond service fee, a bail bond would cost the co-signer or defendant $750. This, by the way, is non-refundable and must be paid in cash, debit, or cashiers’ check. In some states, there is an automatic 5% added on for local taxes, relief initiatives, and more.

Bail Bond Process

Anyone can sign for a person’s bail bond, so long as they are an adult, legal U.S. citizen, and has valid identification. The person who chooses to assist in bailing a person out of jail is usually a friend or family member, but sometimes a co-worker, lover, lawyer, or other willing and able adult. They must sign the bail bond company’s contract that obligates them to pay the entire bond amount to the bail bondsman if the defendant violates their court orders in any way. This is why it is a very big deal to co-sign for a person’s bail. You must know them well and trust them before agreeing to pay back thousands of dollars if they violate. Once the paperwork and agreements are signed and payment is collected, the bail bondsman can then go claim the defendant and get them out of jail. So long as they are sober and processed into the jail’s system, they are free to go on bail.

Who to Call for Safe and Secure Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to get out of jail in Indianapolis and any of its surrounding cities, and counties. Owner and licensed bail bondsman, James Woods, retains a highly skilled and friendly staff of licensed, bonded, and insured bail bondsmen that provide safe 24 hour bail bond services for all Indiana counties and cities. We also offer notary services, inmate lookup, jail pickup and drop-off, federal bonds, state and county bonds, probation violation bonds, arrest warrant bonds, prearranged bail bonds, and much more. Call 317-876-9600 today for free jail address information, inmate searches, bail bond information, and more in Indianapolis, IN.

Alone and Arrested? Here’s What To Do

Posted on August 18, 2015 by admin

Indianapolis Bail Bondsman 317-876-9600

Being arrested when you are all alone is a scary situation, especially if it is your first time or first encounter with law enforcement. Usually a person has someone in their life they can turn to for help in a serious predicament; but sometimes, a person is all alone. Perhaps you have just moved to a new city, you are recently bereaved, or you’re just a natural loner. Either way, anyone that is forced to post their own bail will face a different set of obstacles in comparison to a person bailing another person out of jail.

In this blog, we will highlight the steps to posting your own bond if you were to ever get arrested at a time when you are by yourself, or if you have to turn yourself into authorities for a warrant.

Making the First Call from Jail

Once you have an opportunity to use the phones, call a bail bondsman. The jail staff will have the necessary information and phone numbers to many local bail agencies, and will be happy to provide you with this information on the grounds that you remain cooperative. If you do not want to use a bail bondsman, you can choose the pay the full bond amount directly to the courts for a release from jail. You would then receive this money back in-full upon completion of all court orders. Unfortunately, many people cannot afford this option because bond amounts are generally very high, in the $5,000 and up range. This is expensive and can take years to get back, which is why a bail bondsman is recommended.

Bail Bond Services

Once you have contacted a bail bond company, be sure to be completely honest with the bail bondsmen. You will be asked to give all your information over the phone to the agent, including: name, age, arrest charges, criminal history, employment and salary, emergency contact people, phone numbers, email, and more. Once they have collected this information from you, you will need to discuss payment.

Most bail bond companies will accept cash in the form of cashiers’ checks, debit cards, and of course, actual cash. In the case that you have to bail yourself out of jail, a debit card bank account is going to be very helpful and could make or break your chances of getting out of jail. This is because the bail agent will not grant you his services without being paid first. You can either use your account to buy a cashiers’ check, or you can simply use your account number like a debit card. Cash is also very helpful. If you happen to have enough cash on you and would like to pay with it, a bail bondsman will allow that transaction once they pick you up from jail.

Getting Out

Once you have established payment arrangement with a bail bondsman, the bail procedures can begin. From here, it is only a matter of time before you are released from jail. The time depends on your sobriety, your behavior, the traffic of the jail, and the efficiency of the jail staff.

After you are released from jail, unless the bail bondsman picks you up, you are escorted back to the bail agency, which is usually just minutes form the jail, to finish signing paperwork, agreements, and contracts. Sometimes, the bail agency will take payment at this time rather than over the phone. It all depends on the company.

Woods Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 for safe and secure bail bond services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Licensed bail bondsman, James Woods, and his team of professional bail agents, provide safe and secure bail bond services 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Bail bonds are a fast and easy way to get out of jail in Indianapolis, IN!

Am I a Fugitive if I Have a Warrant Issued for My Arrest?

Posted on August 6, 2014 by admin

Arrest warrants are issued by a court or judge when a person, or group of people, is suspected of committing a crime. They are legal documents that give appointed authorities the right to arrest such person at any time. Arrest warrants also serve as evidence that a person can legally be arrested without violating their human rights. The warrant is entered into a universal police and court database that documents all warrants and related records. Now that you have a basic understanding of what an arrest warrant is, you can now understand what being a fugitive of the law means, and if it is related to arrest warrants or not.

Arrest Warrant Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Court-Ordered Warrants

Not all warrants are for an arrest. There are also search warrants that allow police and investigators to search a particular place or property; as well as, seize warrants that give legal permission for authorities to confiscate or apprehend property for further investigation. Now, when it comes to arrest warrants, a person is not always a fugitive. It all depends on when and how many warrants are issued for a person’s apprehension. When someone is arrested for a crime, and they fail to appear for their scheduled court hearing, an arrest warrant will be issued and yes, they are considered a fugitive until they are caught or choose to turn themselves in. When a person is “wanted” by the law, they are considered a fugitive; however, an arrest warrant can also be issued for minor infractions like traffic violations and unpaid parking tickets. Either way, a person is a fugitive if they are wanted by the law under an issued arrest warrant.

The best case scenario for anyone with an arrest warrant in their name is to turn themselves in immediately. Not only does this look good to the prosecutor and magistrate, it evades adding on additional legal troubles for a person. Fortunately, an individual can pre-arrange their bail when turning themselves in for an arrest warrant. This way, they only have to spend a limited amount of time in the processing center and can be released immediately after being booked. If a person turns themselves in without pre-arranging bail, they can still use a bail bond to get out of jail quickly. When a person chooses to NOT turn themselves in for an arrest warrant, and decides to wait around to get caught instead, they can expect to run into many problems. An individual with an arrest warrant cannot file tax returns, renew a drivers’ license, take out a bank loan, and more.

Pre-Arranged Bail Bonds in Indianapolis

Woods Bail Bonds Indiana 317-876-9600

Call James Woods at Woods Bail Bonds in Indianapolis by dialing 317-876-9600 day or night. We offer 24 hour bail bond services, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year! If you have an arrest warrant, we offer prearranged bail bond services and can provide a speedy release from jail! We also provide inmate searches, free jail information, arrest warrant lookups, jail drop-off services, jail pickup services, emergency bail bonds, and more! Call 317-876-9600 and receive the most accurate, friendly, and professional bail bonds services in Indianapolis, IN.