What To Know Before Contacting a Bail Agent
Do you have a friend or family member who was recently arrested? When you learn that your loved one has been booked for a crime, you’ll want to contact a bail bond agent as soon as you can. But to help your friend get released from jail quickly, there are a few pieces of information you need to have handy.
To ensure you’re able to secure a bail bond and get your loved one out of jail, below, the experts at A Way Out Bail Bonds share what you need to know before you contact a bail agent.
The Defendant’s Personal Information and Booking Details
Before you contact a bail agent, you’ll need to know some basic personal information about the defendant. You’ll also need to have a few pieces of information related to the defendant’s jail booking. Here are the details you’ll need to have on hand:
- The defendant’s full name. You’ll need to know the accused individual’s full name and its proper spelling. In some cases, the individual’s birth date is also required, so be sure to know that as well.
- The inmate’s booking number. When someone is accused of a crime and taken to jail, that person is given a booking number when they are processed into the facility. You’ll need to know that number before you can get a bail bond for that person. If you don’t know the individual’s booking number, you can call the jail where he or she is and inquire.
- The amount of bail set by the court. To bail someone out of jail, you must know the amount of money the court assigned for his or her bail. Your bail agent will need this number to provide you with your best options for securing a bail bond. If you don’t know the defendant’s bail amount, you can call the jail and ask for that information.
Information About the Jail Where the Defendant Was Booked
To bail someone out of jail, you must know where that individual is currently being held. The bail agent you contact must have this information to communicate with the appropriate jail personnel and to post the bail for the defendant. You’ll need to know the name of the jail as well as the state and county in which it’s located.
Understand That Bail Fees Are Nonrefundable
Before you decide to secure a bail bond for your loved one, it’s imperative that you understand that you cannot get your bail fees back after the process is over.
The fee to secure a bail bond typically amounts to approximately 10% of the total bail amount, and it is 100% nonrefundable. If losing that money could ultimately place you in a precarious financial position, you may want to consider seeking other options to get your loved one out of jail.
You’ll Sign an Indemnity Agreement
When you secure a bail bond, you must sign an indemnity agreement. This agreement releases the surety (the bail agent) from financial responsibility should the defendant fail to adhere to the court-ordered terms of his or her release from jail.
When you secure a bail bond, the bail agent supplies the funds up front to bail the defendant out of jail. But if the defendant does not appear in court as directed, this bail amount is forfeit. In this situation, the court keeps all of the funds supplied for the defendant’s bail. Without an indemnity agreement, the bail agent would stand to lose a substantial amount of money, which is why this agreement is required.
Bail Agents Can Take Measures to Locate a Noncompliant Defendant
When you use the services of a bail agent to get someone out of jail, that person is not finished with his or her case. Rather, the court allows that person to await future court dates outside the walls of the jail, but he or she must still appear before the judge as directed.
If the defendant fails to appear in court, he or she is guilty of bail forfeiture, and the court will then retain any money or property supplied to bail that person out of jail. Should this situation occur, the bond agent has the legal right to attempt to track down the defendant and return that person to police custody.
Need to Bail Someone Out of Jail?
If you recently learned of a loved one’s arrest, don’t hesitate to contact our team at A Way Out Bail Bonds. We specialize in quick release from all jails in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and our agents are available 24 hours a day for your convenience. To get started, contact us online or give us a call today at (214) 760-9978 in Dallas County or (817) 261-2828 in Tarrant County.