Bail bonding companies help defendants secure pretrial release when they can’t afford to pay bail out of pocket. A licensed bail bondsman issues a bond in exchange for a non-refundable fee, guaranteeing the defendant’s compliance with court conditions. If a defendant skips bail, the bondsman may employ bail recovery agents, commonly known as bounty hunters, […]
Can a Bail Bondsman Help With a Cash-Only Bond?
A cash-only bond requires the full bail amount to be paid in cash before a defendant can be released, without the option of a surety or property bond. Courts typically issue these bonds for high-flight-risk defendants who have a history of skipping court dates. Bail bondsmen can’t issue traditional surety bonds for cash-only bail. If […]
What Are Bail Schedules?
When someone is arrested in the state of Georgia, their bail amount can be determined in one of two ways: For more serious or uncommon offenses, the defendant will appear before a magistrate or Superior Court judge within 72 hours of the arrest. At this time, the judge will determine the defendant’s bail amount. For […]
Can You Remove Yourself as a Cosigner on a Bond?
If a close friend or loved one has been arrested, your first reaction may be to do whatever it takes to secure their release from jail. In many cases, doing so will mean agreeing to cosign a bond with a licensed bonding company to secure the defendant’s release. As cosigner – or indemnitor – of […]
Bounty Hunter vs. Bail Bondsman: What’s the Difference?
They’re both mainstays of TV police shows and crime dramas, and the lines between them can sometimes get a little blurred in the public’s mind: bail bondsmen and bounty hunters. More properly referred to as “licensed bonding agents” and “bail recovery agents,” respectively, these two individuals work together to ensure that defendants appear for their […]
Are Bail Bonds Public Records?
For most people, being arrested – even if they’re innocent of the charges – is a significant source of anxiety, stress, and embarrassment. Compounding that is the fact that so much of what goes on in criminal proceedings is public record, so anyone at all can find out a fair amount about a criminal defendant’s […]
Why Does Bail Exist?
Bail has been a part of our criminal justice system in the US since the very beginning, having been part of the English criminal law system from at least the 11th Century. Long before there was a United States, defendants in criminal cases have been granted a release from jail by putting up valuable property […]
5 Things to Know About Your Bail Bonding Company’s Process
If you, a friend, or a relative have been arrested in Macon-Bibb County, you probably have multiple questions. The first among them is likely how to secure the defendant’s release from jail. Unless the offense was particularly heinous or violent, or the defendant has a history of repeat offenses or bail jumping, nobody—especially the justice […]
Do You Get Bail Money Back if Charges Are Dropped? (And Other FAQs)
If you’ve been arrested, odds are good that bail has been set, either according to a bail schedule or by a magistrate. You may have a couple of options at this time. If you’re fortunate enough to pay your full bail amount in cash, you may be able to pay the jail directly and secure […]
5 Advantages of Using a Bail Bonding Company
If you’ve been arrested, you are likely facing numerous decisions. One of the most immediate is, “How will I secure my release from jail?” If you don’t have the cash to post your full bail amount, or if posting the full bail amount will leave you unable to cover living expenses during the time between […]