For those who haven’t gone through the experience of being arrested and processed, here’s what you need to know. If you are arrested, you will be taken to a county jail, where an intake officer will determine if the arrest is valid and if a bond is needed. If the arrest is valid and no bond is needed, then your release date may be set for that day; however some counties may require bail before release to ensure your return for future court dates.
What is a bail bond?
A bail bond is a contract that is entered into between the client (arrestee), the bail agent (bail bondsman), and the court. The court requires this agreement to ensure that you will show up for your future proceedings. This is to protect the system from criminals who will disappear after arrest and court dates. Thus, an assurance must be made by an outside source, i.e., the bail agent or “bail bondsman”.
Who is a bail bondsman?
A bail bondsman is someone who can post a cash or property bond for a client to ensure his/her release from jail. The majority of us are either licensed under the state’s Bail Bond Agent Licensing Law (BBL) or the Federal Bail Agent Licensing Act. However, if you are a witness to an arrest and you wish to ensure that the arrestee will be present in court, you can find someone willing to post your bond at no additional cost, which is usually referred to as “self-sureties”. Finally, most jurisdictions allow “non-bail” bondsmen for those who choose not to have a BBL license.
How does a bail bond work?
pennsylvania bail bond company is required to post a full cash bond or 100% of the total bond amount. If a client wishes to post the $5,000 bond amount ($10,000 if charged with a felony), then the bail bondsman will require that this be paid in full. For example, if the fee for posting this bond is 10%, it will cost $500 (plus court costs) for the full cash price of this bond. However, most bail bondsmen will advance the full cash price of the bond from the 10% fee, which will be paid back to them when the case is completed. This is why advance payment of fees are required in order to post bail bonds.
