Looking for a local bail bondsman?

When you need a bail bondsman, you don’t want any issues to get in your way. Whether it’s for you or a loved one, you want your bondsman to get the job done fast.

A few tips can help the process go more smoothly. In this guide, we’ll show you the top tips you need to know before working with a local bail bondsman. Keep reading to learn more!

How to Use a Local Bail Bondsman

In most criminal cases, the defendant is given the option to pay bail. This means that the court determines how much money the defendant needs to pay to get out of jail until they have court.

Sometimes, the court sets the bail amount above what the defendant can realistically afford. In these cases, the defendant often hires a bail bondsman to help. A bail bondsman covers most of the bail amount, in exchange for helping make sure the defendant shows up in court.

Types of Bail Bonds

Before you hire a local bail bondsman, it helps to know the kinds of bail bonds that you might be working with.

There are three main kinds of bail bonds. The first is cash bonds, which involves money orders or cash. The second is property bonds. Property bonds use property value or the property itself as the collateral for bail.

Third, there are surety bonds, which are similar to loans. In this type of bond, a bail bondsman pays the court the full amount of the bail. Then, the defendant pays the bail bondsman a percentage of the total amount and gives them their agreement to appear on their court date.

Now, let’s get into some helpful tips you should always use when working with a local bail bondsman.

1. Know How Much Bail You Need

You can find out the total bail amount at the jail. The judge on the case will determine the bail based on how severe the crime was and whether or not the defendant could be a flight risk.

With extremely severe crimes, bail isn’t given at all, but most crimes aren’t considered this severe. For frequently committed crimes, a pre-set bail schedule is used to determine the amount owed.

The sooner you find out how much bail you owe, the sooner you can decide the next steps you need to take. In some cases, the defendant can even ask the judge for a lower bail amount. A lawyer can help you with this.

2. Find Out the Bail Bondsman’s Fee

In each state, the laws determining the fee a bail bondsman can take are different. Most of the time, the fee is about 10 percent. However, commercial bail bondsmen are illegal in some states.

Other states prohibit surety bail bonds, including Wisconsin, Maine, Oregon, Nebraska, Kentucky, and Illinois. If you have questions about bail bondsman fees, ask the court clerk for help.

3. Find the Bail Bondsman

Next, it’s time to find the right bail bondsman to work with. You can search using the phonebook or an online search. You might also find numbers for bail bondsmen at the courthouse.

You should also consider using a bondsman referred by your attorney. Bail bondsmen who work with defense attorneys are likely to do top-quality work. You’ll also often save money with a reduced fee for the bondsman – for example, you might be able to pay 8 percent instead of 10.

It’s always a good idea to hire a criminal defense attorney before your trial, so you might as well hire them before choosing your local bail bondsman. That way, you’ll know that the bondsman you work with has a good reputation since an attorney is willing to vouch for them.

4. Ask Detention Officers

If you’re still not sure which bail bondsman to go with, talk to a detention officer or have your lawyer do it for you. These officers work with a lot of different bail companies, and usually, know which ones are best to work with.

These officers can also help by recommending lowered bail amounts and giving useful advice for court. Make friends with detention officers and you will be rewarded for your efforts with access to their valuable information.

5. Avoid Cheap Bonds

On your search, you’re likely to find some bond companies that offer cheaper fees than others.

It’s tempting to think these cheaper fees will be best, but that’s often not the case. You get what you pay for with bail bondsman, as with anything else.

If you see a company offering fees of 5 percent or even less, they likely aren’t experienced or reputable, which is why they have to offer such low fees to get business. They might even be operating illegally or using false advertising to get clients.

Instead, look for bondsmen or companies that have fees well within the normal range for your state – they are much more likely to be legitimate.

6. Think About Agencies

While looking for the best bail bondsman, you might think about working with an agency. If you do, the company will handle everything you need about your case while keeping your information private.

Agencies can save you a lot of time and stress in the process and tend to have more time to devote to your case since they have more people on staff.

7. Read the Reviews

No matter what, you should always read the online reviews about a local bail bondsman before you hire them.

Online reviews are heavily trusted by modern consumers, for good reason. While some bad reviews are to be expected, look for a bondsman whose reviews are mostly positive.

Do You Need a Local Bail Bondsman?

When you need a bail bondsman, you want the best of the best.

If you’re in the Hollywood area, we can help with your bail needs. Contact us to learn how.

With a median bail in the state of California hitting $50,000, the number of people who have access to posting that much money in minuscule.

Having a bail bond agent who can post the bail in exchange for 10% helps to keep the accused from having their lives disrupted while they away trial. This is just one of the many benefits of using a bond agent.

While the cash bail system has come under scrutiny in the last years, there’s no foreseeable end in sight. People who are unable to post bail can lose their jobs, be kicked out of school, or end up losing their homes. If you can put up bail while you or a loved one is awaiting a hearing, you’ll be able to keep your life together.

If you’re still weighing out the options of whether or not to use a bail bond agent, here are just a few of the overwhelming benefits of using one.

1. You’ll Get A Bail Bond Agent With Experience

Most people have never been through the process of being arrested, awaiting a hearing, and dealing with the criminal justice system.

Many people are overwhelmed by the process and don’t understand how bail bonds work. Hiring someone who knows what they’re doing can save frustration, complications, and the emotional hardships that result.

When you hire a bail bond agent, you get someone who knows your rights and the limitations of the law. They can explain how bonds work and what to expect.

They’ll be able to lay out how the legal process will play out from your perspective, what you can do to optimize it, and what you need to have.Protecting your family, your assets, and knowing your rights is important to the bail bonds agent.

2. You Can See The Release Process Speed Up

If you were going it alone, you or your loved one could end up in jail for much longer than necessary awaiting trial. Bail bond companies have experience and contacts in the legal system. They know who to call to help speed things up.

Often bail bond companies will have built a relationship with the courts over several years. Because they know the bail bond company only takes on the most reputable clients, you’ll have someone vouching for you.

These relationships and agreements take years to build but you can take advantage of them because of your one incident.

If your bail bond company is expert enough and if the crime you or your loved one was accused of is minor, you could get out in under 24 hours. This can avoid lapses in employment that could damage the character of the accused in the eyes of the court. It could also hurt the accused’s ability to pay for basic needs.

3. Save a Headache in Paperwork

Unless you’ve got a degree in criminal justice, a lot of the paperwork necessary for filing for your bail bond could be difficult and confusing. Your bail bond agent will be deeply familiar with the paperwork and be comfortable navigating this process on your behalf.

Minor errors in filing this paperwork could result in a delay in the hearing, rescheduled proceedings, and an even longer jail stay. While you might have anticipated having your loved one out in just a day, mistakes on forms could drag the process out.

The staff at a bail bond company brings professionalism and experience to every matter, even just a simple form. They’ve spent so many hours filling out those forms, they could probably do them in their sleep.

By having someone to make sure everything is accurate and thorough, you’ll speed up the process and save a lot of turmoil.

4. Maintain Your Privacy

When people have the money to pay for bail, often courts will raise an eyebrow. You or your family could end up being scrutinized or requiring proof that the money you brought in was lawfully earned. This can be problematic for a lot of reasons, even when the money was earned from your own job.

You could find the judge demanding bank statement, pay stubs, and tax documents to prove that you’ve got the assets reflecting bail. This is a deep invasion of privacy that a bail bond agent would never engage in.

On top of that, you might not have the time or energy to get all of this ridiculous paperwork together in the heat of a crisis.

Because bail bond companies are experienced in working with the courts, their money won’t be scrutinized at all.

5. Keep Access To Your Money

Bail is a way for courts to confirm that the accused will show up in court when their trial comes up. They return the money following the court appearance but not before.

Paying an average of $50,000 is next to impossible for most families. Not having access to that money for several months is borderline unreasonable.

This whole process could take several months. If you’ve got hundreds of thousands just lying around, then you might not have a problem. But for most people, this is nothing approaching a reality.

A bail bond agent can help you skip the long wait. If the proceedings end up being more complex than planned and get drawn out, that money just ends up sitting there.

If you’ve only paid an affordable fee through a bail bonds agent, you’ve got much less to be concerned about.

A Bail Bond Agent Is There To Help

Your bail bonds agent is essential to guaranteeing a speedy legal process. They can ensure that your life goes back to normal as soon as possible. Thanks to bail bonds, you or your loved one can see freedom quickly.

If you’re looking for an agent to serve you some bail bonds, contact us today to find a perfect fit for your situation.

When a relative or friend is arrested, it can be a traumatic experience for everyone involved.

The first thing to consider if you or someone close to you is arrested is bail. According to the Eighth Amendment, each citizen has the right to bail, which guarantees their release from prison until their court date.

Depending on the crime committed, bail should generally be set at a reasonable amount. Even then, it may not be affordable for those arrested.

Thanks to bail bondsmen and affordable bail bonds, there’s no need to fret behind bars until a set court date.

In this post, we’ll outline how bail bonds work and how to find the most affordable bail bonds in California.

What Are Bail Bonds?

It’s common to mistake bail and bonds, as these two terms are so often used interchangeably. Here’s the difference.

Bail

Bail is a monetary guarantee or “promise” that a defendant (the person arrested) will return to court on their set trial date after their release from prison.

A court judge will set the bail amount according to the severity of the crime, the defendant’s previous criminal record, and their potential flight risk.

More often than not, bail is set at a reasonable amount for most common crimes. If the crime is especially serious, bail can be set very high. This is where affordable bail bonds come in!

Bail can be paid in a number of ways, including cash, check, credit card, and surrendering property to the court. If the defendant does not return to court on their set trial date, the bail payment is seized by the court.

The defendant may post their own bail, or bail must be paid for by a family member, friend, or third party.

Bonds

Even if bail is set at a reasonable amount, many defendants just have the funds to pay it.

When this is the case, defendants can turn to bond companies. These companies loan affordable bail bonds to secure a release from prison.

Bond companies are similar to insurance companies in that a defendant is buying a bond, or insurance policy, to secure their release from behind bars. The bail bond amount is usually set at 10% of the total amount of bail set by the court. This 10% cost is non-refundable to the defendant.

If a defendant does not appear in court on their set trial date, 100% of the bail fee is expected to be paid to the court. Usually, it’s the bail bond company who takes this blow.

If the bail amount is set high, the bail bond company will request security from the defendant in the form of property, a car, etc.

If the defendant skips their court date, the bail bond company has something of value to compensate for the full bail amount which must be paid back to the court.

How to Find Affordable Bail Bonds

Now that we’ve covered the difference between bail and bonds, here are a few tips on how to secure affordable bail bonds.

1. Look for Licensing

A reputable, qualified and affordable bail bondsman must hold a license and adequate insurance in the state of California.

There’s no harm in doing a quick background check or even asking to see their bondsman license if you’re in doubt.

Licensed bondsmen are legally obligated by the courts they work with to charge fair and affordable rates.

2. Reputation Is Everything

Do a little homework on local bondsman in your area by comparing online reviews.

If you find a bondsman who suits your needs, find out more about their reputation by asking colleagues what they know or have heard.

If you can’t find a decent reference, visit their website or review sites for feedback on their prices and level of service.

3. Location, Location, Location

Double check that the bondsman you choose is close enough to the jail you or the defendant is being held in.

Don’t fall for an advertisement that they’re located across the street when this is merely their P.O. Box.

Having to truck across town to a bondsman office is a waste of time and money. Find a bondsman with a reasonable location for your needs.

4. Scratch Their Back to Scratch Yours

Ensure the process flows as smoothly as possible by being well-organized. This way, a bondsman will keep you in the forefront of their mind and do their best to help.

When you arrive at a bail bondsman’s office, bring a credit card, cashier’s check, your ID card, and a title for a car or property.

Securing affordable bail bonds is simple if you put in a little extra effort too.

5. Compare Costs

This may seem like a no-brainer, but make sure you’re not being overcharged by your bail bondsman.

Most bail bondsman will charge a small fee for their services, over and above the 10% of your bail bond. This is standard, but do some research beforehand to ensure their fee isn’t astronomical.

If you can, find a bail bondsman who charges the minimum cost and does not ask for more security than they should. This could be a warning sign you are being taken for a ride!

6. Consider Their Attitude

How does a particular bail bondsman treat you when you first meet? Are they patronizing, condescending, or offish?

If so, this is not someone you want to put your freedom in the hands of. Make sure you’re 100% comfortable with the bail bondsman you turn to.

If they show compassion, care, patience and are willing to help, you can be assured of good value for money.

7. Determine the Timeline

A truly certified professional who offers affordable bail bonds will provide you with an estimate of when to expect the release from prison.

If you’re curious about anything, a reliable bondsman should be a resource to help you through the process.

8. How Readily Available Is Your Bondsman?

Does the bondman service you choose offer 24-hour assistance, seven days a week?

The justice system does not sleep. If a loved one is arrested in the wee hours of the morning, will your bondsman be able to help?

Make sure the bondman service you choose is not only affordable but readily available to help.

Access 24-Hour Bail Bonds Services with Bail Man

Bail Man Bail Bonds serves the great state of California, providing hassle-free, instant bail bond approvals.

We are at your service 24 hours a day to ensure you receive a discreet, efficient, and cost-effective bail bond service.

If you’re looking for a trustworthy bail agent, get in touch with Paul Columbis at Bail Man Bail Bonds.