Thursday, 10 November 2016

Understanding How Bail Bondsman Services Work

By Walter Wagner


Nobody wants to get that dreaded call in the middle of the night from a teenage child, a spouse, or close friend informing you they have gotten themselves in trouble and are calling from the local jail in Everett WA. However they ended up there, the only thing on their minds, and probably yours too, is how to get them out. This may be your first experience with the justice system, and you don't really know where to turn. If you can talk to someone in charge, they will most likely tell you how much it will cost and that you need to call a bail bondsman to help.

How much you will have to pay to free the person depends on the charges brought against him or her. You will probably be required to come up with about ten percent of the total bond fee which must usually be paid in the form of cash. The bonding agent pays the court for you. Setting bail is the system courts use to ensure the accused shows up in court on the day of the case.

People who are in this line of work do have to meet some requirements before they are allowed to start a business. The regulations may vary from state to state, but most require individuals to take a class prior to taking the exam to get a license. All applicants have to be fingerprinted and pass a background check.

If you don't have the money to pay the bond, you can have someone else do it for you. You don't get your money back from the bondsman after court. Bond is not tax deductible. If you use an asset, such as your house, for collateral and the accused does not appear in court, your property can be foreclosed on and sold.

Not showing up for court is also known as jumping bail, and is a very serious offense. The court usually immediately issues a warrant for your arrest and can have you tracked down. The bondsman can also hire someone to find you.

Bounty hunters might seem like something straight out of television or film, but they really do exist and are often referred to these days as surety recovery agents. Some adventurous young people might be interested in what it takes to become one of these professionals.

What you have to do to become a bounty hunter varies depending on the state you live in. Some state don't have any rules about it all. You just have to get a bonding agent to hire you and you're in business. Other states make it a felony if you operate without a license. How much you get paid depends on the outstanding bond.

In a perfect world no one would need the services of a bondsman. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of having to post bond however, knowing how the process works will save you some time.




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