When a loved one has been arrested, emotions run high. A family’s first thoughts are with getting their loved one released from jail and back at home. The bail bonding process is not complicated, but most people who have not experienced it only understand the process based on what they have seen on television or in movies.
What is a Bail Bond?
After an arrest, a judge will set a bail amount. Once that amount is deposited with the court, the defendant will be released from jail. However, most people do not have excess cash available to deposit with a court for many months at a time. Instead, they hire a Bail Bondsman in Tarrant County to help provide the bail funds in the form of a bail bond. Several types of bail bonds are available, and the necessary type would depend on the kind of charges pending against the defendant.
How Does a Bail Bond Differ from Bail?
When someone purchases a bail bond, they are only paying a percentage of the total bail amount, usually 10 to 15 percent, to the bail bondsman. The bonding agency will then pay the full amount of the bail to the court. So if the bail was $10,000 and the bonding fee is 10%, the family will pay $1,000 to the bail bond agency, and the agency will deposit the full $10,000 with the court to secure the defendant’s release. After all court obligations have been completed, the court will return the $10,000 to the bail bond agency, but they will not return the $1,000 to the family. That money represents the amount earned by the bail bond agency for supplying the full bail amount.
Finding a Bail Bondsman
Be sure only to use a well-established, reputable bail bondsman to avoid becoming a scam victim. Local attorneys should be able to provide a recommendation if the family is not familiar with any bonding agencies in the area. Reputable bail bondsmen are generally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Visit vaughnsezoutbailbonds.com to discuss bond options with a Bail Bondsman in Tarrant County.
