Explain a Bail Bondsman
A bail bondsman serves as a liaison between the courts and the defendant. The bail bondsman will help the defendant post a surety bond and carry all the responsibilities outlined in the release forms handed down by the courts to the defendant. This can be a good job, but it has its downsides. Work is not guaranteed, but when it is, a bail bondsman can determine his own fees.
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Bail Bond
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When an individual is arrested and accused of a crime, he becomes known as a defendant until a verdict has been made. A judge will hand down a surety bond that guarantees that, if the defendant is released from police custody, he will return to all court hearings and not leave town. The surety bond could be more than the defendant or his family members can afford. The defendant will then call on a bail bondsman who will secure the surety bond placed by the judge or the courts.
Gaurantee to the Courts
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Once a bail bondsman bails a defendant out of jail, the bail bondsman becomes responsible for the defendant. The bail bondsmen must assure that the defendant makes every court appearance until the verdict is reached. The bail bondsman posts bail through a blanket bond or other assets that cover a percentage of the bail cost. If the defendant skips town and bail, then the bail bondsman will have to come up with the entire bond amount. If the bondsman has insurance, the bond will be covered, but there are other fees and premiums the bondsman will have to pay.
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Fees
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Bail bondsmen make their money by charging the defendant a fee or percentage of the bond to get out. The courts will usually require a defendant to post 10 or 15 percent of the bond; in some cases, when the defendant is a flight risk, the percentage and rules can be stricter. The bondsman will require the defendant to pay a fee, plus the bond percentage and any other fees assessed by the court. Once the case is over, some of the money used for the bond will be returned to the bail bondsman. The bail bondsman has the right to keep all of the refunded money, or give a percentage back to the defendant.
Tracking Down Defendant
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A bondsman can legally track down a defendant who has skipped bail however the bondsman prefers. If the bondsman chooses to go after the defendant himself, this is legal. Sometimes bail bondsmen will hire private security firms, sometimes called bounty hunters, to find the defendant. The bounty hunters may use physical force or use concealed weapons to return the defendant to the bondsman or the legal authorities.
Scheduled Hours
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A bail bondsman does not work normal hours. Individuals can be arrested and given a surety bond any time of the day or week, depending on the criminal charge. Therefore a bail bondsman is always on call. If an individual is arrested at 3 in the morning and calls for a bail bondsman, the bail bondsman will have to go bond the defendant out of jail, or lose the client. If a bail bondsman gets a reputation for not being on call, this could cost the bail bondsman business with future clients.
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