What Is a Bail Bond Agent?
A bail bond agent is any person or company that pledges the full cost of bail to ensure an arrested person (defendant) appears in criminal court. All bail agents are required by law to be licensed by the State of Texas
What Is Bail?
Art. 17.01. DEFINITION OF “BAIL”. “Bail” is the security given by the accused that he will appear and answer before the proper court the accusation brought against him, and includes a bail bond or a personal bond.
What Is a Bail Bond?
Art. 17.02. DEFINITION OF “BAIL BOND”. A “bail bond” is a written undertaking entered into by the defendant and the defendant’s sureties for the appearance of the principal therein before a court or magistrate to answer a criminal accusation; provided.
What is the difference between “Bail” and a “Bond?”
When criminal defendants are released from jail, some are “bonded out” while others are “bailed out.”
While they both basically mean the same thing — temporary freedom — they’re actually different. The difference between bond and bail is a subtle, but it ultimately comes down to the money. Who and what is securing the defendant’s freedom?
Bail is the monetary amount a defendant must pay to secure his release. If he fails to appear in Court at his court date, he forfeits that amount.
If the defendant or his family pays bail at the jail, they have been bailed out of jail. But many criminal defendants have very large bail amounts, and families don’t have the monetary funds to cover the full amount to make bail. This is where bonds come in.
Bonds are bail monies paid by a bail bond company. The defendant secures a loan with a fee, usually 10% of the bail amount. They also might request the loan be secured by collateral, such as a car or house. The fees can change depending on defendants background, where they live or place of birth.
The bail bondsman then pays the court the bail monies and guarantees that the rest will be paid if the defendant fails to appear at their court date. Courts accept this as assurance because the defendant loses his property if he flees.
There’s also this strange thing called a Personal Recognizance bond. The defendant makes a written promise to appear in court. If he fails to appear, he pays the court a set amount of money. This is reserved for low-level offenders who pose no flight risk.
What is a Defendant?
A Person arrested and charged for committing a violation on the law. This person is required to appear in court to answer pending charges, but may remain at home (instead of in jail) until their court date if they are able to pay bail or arrange for a bail bond agent to pay bail on their behalf.
What Should I Know Before I Contact Johnnie Dishongh Bail Bonds?
There is certain information that a bail bond agent will need in order to help you:
- Where is the person in custody? (Make sure that you ask the person in custody where they are located, including the city, state, and the name of jail).
- What is the full name and booking number of person in jail? The bail agent will need this information in order to contact the jail. The bail agent can get the booking number for you if you forgot or if it was not available.
- How much is the bail? The bail bond agent will get this information when they contact the jail if you do not have it. With the bail amount, the bail bondsman can tell you the amount it will cost to post a bond and requirements to get the person out of jail.
Can The Defendant Leave The State Or The Country While On Bond?
You will have to get permission from the bonding office in writing before attempting to do so. If the court has given you direct instructions not to leave the state or country you must then get permission from the bail agent and the court before leaving. Otherwise you are subject to arrest.
What Is Collateral?
Collateral is personal property—a house, a piece of land, jewelry, or electronics—that an indemnitor pledges to a bail agency to secure the bail amount in the event the defendant fails to appear in court. Collateral is returned to the owner once the defendant’s case is finalized.
What Do Bondsmen Accept As Collateral?
Each bonding office will have their own standards but for the most part you can expect them to accept various forms of bail collateral. Some examples of collateral include:
- Real estate
- Vehicles
- Jewelry
- Guns
- Money
- Antique Coins
Anything worth money will secure a bond.
When Is Johnnie Dishongh Bail Bonds Available?
Since you never know when you, a friend, or a loved may be arrested, Johnnie Dishongh Bail Bonds is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to handle all your bail bond needs. If a client is unable to come to our Conroe bail bond office, you can contact us at our 24 hour number – (936) 760-9090
How Much Does A Bail Bond Cost?
There are many factors that determine a bail bond premium (fee). Please contact our office for an accurate quote.
What Is An Indemnitor (Cosigner)? Why Do You Need An Indemnitor (Cosigner)?
An Indemnitor (cosigner) is financially liable for the bail bond and any cost incurred as a result of the bond being posted if the defendant fails to appear for a court date. This could include court costs, rearrest costs, return fees, etc.
As long as the defendant can be located and returned to custody within the time allotted by law, these costs are significantly less than the full bond amount. If the defendant appears each and every time as directed by the court, none of this applies. Once the case is disposed, the indemnitor’s (cosigner’s) liability is terminated.
What If The Defendant Doesn’t Go To Court?
The Defendant can also have new Bond Forfeiture charge added to them with a bail of at least $10,000
What Is A Bail Bond Reinstatement?
Bail bond reinstatement is the process by which a defendant who has had bail bond forfeiture can have their bench warrant removed and the bail bond re-activated or reinstated with the court. This legal proceeding usually requires action by an attorney and could result in fees being paid by the bail bond agency. These fees are then passed on to the defendant or indemnitors. Take advantage of our flexible and affordable payment options.
What Is A Posting Fee?
Most counties and jurisdictions charge a Bonding Post Fee which is money that is paid directly to the courts and not an additional fee retained by the bonding company.
What Does It Mean To Be Released On One’s “Pesonal Recognizance”?
When a defendant is released from jail on their Personal Recognizance (PR Bond), he or she signs a written agreement that they will appear in court on their appoint court date, but otherwise, no bail is required. A PR Bond is usually reserved for lesser, non-violent crimes.
How Long Does the Bail Process Take?
The length of time it takes a court to process a bail bond varies widely due to the nature of the crime, the defendant’s criminal history, the defendant’s citizenship status, the volume of arrests on that given day, the number of employees working at the jail on that given day, and many other factors. Though Johnnie Dishongh Bail Bonds cannot guarantee release in a certain time, our experienced bail bondsmen will do everything in their power to bring your loved one home as quickly as possible.
What Is Required Of Me To Get Someone Out Of Jail?
In most cases, you need to be employed and have a recent pay stub to prove it, have a state issued ID, and have the premium to pay the bond company, usually 10% of the original bail amount.
