What to do When Arrested: Key Bail Bonds Terms

An arrest can completely shake up your world.  Whether it’s a family member or friend who needs your help, there are some fairly stressful processes you’ll have to go through in choosing a bail bonds business and seeing the arrested person through the release process.

While researching who to choose as your bail bondsman and how to get your loved on freed, you should be aware of some common terms you’re likely to hear along the way.

Here are a few definitions to help you get the ball rolling to better understand the intricacies of the bail bonds process.

Bail: Bail itself is defined as the price for release of an arrested person from jail.  The actual dollar amount is derived from several factors that judges will take into consideration.  Bail prevents prison overcrowding, to a certain extent, but more accurately, it protects the basic rights of American citizens who are deemed “innocent until proven guilty,” allowing for their release from custody until a formal trial is held that will determine whether they serve a real sentence.

Bail Bond: Bail bonds are actual payments or promises of payment posted by a bail bondsman and backed by an insurance company for the release of a suspect from county jail.  Bail money is returned or excused by the courts if the defendant appears to all scheduled dates.

Bail Bondsman: Bail bonds have to be posted by agents who are licensed by the State Department of Insurance. Bail bondsmen will be familiar with all necessary paperwork and steps in the booking and releasing process. For their services and the risks they assume, they are awarded a percentage of the total bail as a fee, which is determined by the state of arrest.

Cash Bond: If a person can afford to pay their total bail cost, oftentimes in the tens thousand dollars range, they may do so without the assistance of a bail bondsman as long as they can pay in cash or by cahier’s check and prove their funds were obtained legally. This full amount will be returned to the bond signer at the conclusion of the trial if the defendant did not miss a trial date.

Indemnitor: The person responsible for initiating the bail bond.  This person signs and pays for a bail bond to aid with the release of a loved one, and assumes some of the financial responsibility should the defendant fail to appear in court.

Additional Information

If you found this article informative and useful to choosing a LA bail bonds business, then perhaps these additional blog postings would help as well: http://www.my1800bailbond.com/bail-bond-blog/bail-bonds-basics-learning-the-ropes and http://www.my1800bailbond.com/bail-bond-blog/bail-bonds-leaving-in-jail