Bail bonds may not be something you ever need but should you find yourself in a jam, you are going to have to know something about how they work and how they benefit you. It could mean the difference between sitting in jail waiting on a court date and being able to be with your family or friends.
You probably do not set out with the intention of being arrested and needing the services of a bail bond agent but in this article we will cover the basics of the bail bonds world and hopefully educate you on the basics that you will need to know in case you ever find yourself in a sticky situation.
What are bail bonds?
Bail bonds are the fee it takes to get out of jail. The bail bond can be paid by the defendant in full or it can be paid by a special agency that works to get people back on their feet after being arrested. The modern bail bond agency was first started back in the 1800’s by Tom and Peter P. McDonough.
They believed that a person was innocent until proven guilty and should not have to sit in jail waiting to prove their innocence. They should be free to live their lives until the court date.
What is a cash only bond?
A cash bond occurs when the judge will not allow you to be bailed out by a bond agency. This usually occurs if the judge considers you a flight risk but will still allow you out of jail.
There are some smaller bonds that must be paid such as insufficient funds on a checking account. Speeding tickets may be considered a cash bond if you have failed to pay the ticket and have had a warrant issued.
What is a bounty hunter?
A bounty hunter is someone that hunts down people that have skipped out on their bonds. Skipping out on a bond means that the person did not show up for their court date and have gone on the run to avoid being caught and returned to jail. A bounty hunter is usually required to be licensed in the state, or states, he or she practices in and they must know the laws under which they are required to operate.
Is bounty hunting really like those reality television shows?
Any real bounty hunter will tell you that their job is not nearly as exciting as the reality television shows pain it out to be. Many times they go to find the defendant and he or she is sitting at their house with some excuse as to why they did not show up at court.
There are times of excitement when the person goes on the run but those are few and far between. There is usually no “jet setting” lifestyle where they fly to some exotic place to retrieve the defendant.
If I have to post a bond myself, will I get the money back?
Once you have shown up for court on the date specified you will get your bond money back. Do not count on it being there immediately for you to pick up.
The court system has to discharge the bond money. You may not get this until your case is settled because there is still the possibility that you could skip out on your bond.
