How Does the Bail Bond Process Work?

Being arrested is one of the most stressful things that an individual can experience. An arrest is a sudden interruption of a person’s daily life and can lead to a wide range of negative repercussions. Aside from the obvious discomforts of spending time in jail, many people will lose their job if they are unable to show up to work as scheduled.

In addition, many people have family obligations that cannot be accomplished while behind bars, such as caring for children or assisting a sick or elderly relative. Once an arrest has taken place, the top priority for most people is getting out of jail. So how does one do that…by posting bail.

What is Bail?

Bail can be thought of as collateral. It is cash or property that is given to the court as a guarantee that an individual will return to participate in the legal process. Bail is offered to support the promise that the arrested party will show up as ordered.

The amount of bail is set according to the crime, which the individual is charged with, as well as any extenuating circumstances. When a judge believes that a person poses a significant flight risk, the bail may be set far higher than the norm.

What Do Bail Agents Do?

Not everyone is able to place the full bail amount with the court. A bail agent acts as a fiduciary middleman. He or she will make an arrangement with the court to pay the client’s bail on that party’s behalf.

From that point forward, the bail agent is responsible for ensuring that the suspect will show up at the appointed day and time of his or her hearing. In return for that financial assistance, the agent will charge a premium. In the state of Georgia, bail premium is no more than 15 percent of the full bail amount. Free at Last Bail Bonds offers payment plans and creative financing options to help you cover this. Bail premium is non-refundable, but collateral is. Collateral is any amount paid in addition to the bail premium as a security deposit.

What is Needed to Start the Bail Bond Process?

In order for a bail agent to take on your case and get you out of jail, you must have a friend or relative assist in the process. The system is set up to encourage individuals to show up to court and participate in their own defense. In order to attain that goal, a person with close ties to the arrested party is asked to participate in the conditions of his or her release from jail.

The individual who posts bail will pay the agent the required fee. From that point forward, the person who posted the bail becomes responsible for making sure that the arrested party attends court. If that does not take place, the person who posted bond becomes responsible for the full bond amount.

What Happens if I Miss Court?

If an individual has been bonded out of jail and then misses his or her court date, a series of negative repercussions begin. The bail agent will first contact the individual who posted bail to try and determine his or her whereabouts.

If that effort is not fruitful, the next step involves hiring the services of a recovery agent to determine the individual’s location and bring him or her back to stand before the court. With today’s technology and the influence of the internet, skipping bail is a very poor decision, and will likely only increase one’s legal troubles.

For more information about bail bond services, please contact the team at Free at Last Bail Bonds. We can discuss your options and walk you through the process if you have any questions.

We understand the importance and urgency of reuniting families. Contact us.”