Bail bonds operate by allowing an individual in jail to post bonds that he or she would have not been able to afford on their own. A bail bondsman is the one who posts the full amount on the behalf of the defendant. The defendant then pays the bail bondsman a percentage of the amount of the bail, typically 10 percent. This is a nonrefundable payment.
Bail Bonds Explained
Bail is the amount of money that an individual in jail will have to post in order to be released from jail prior to their court date. If an individual is able to post their bail and then shows up to all of their court dates and obeys all terms of the release, the bail will be refunded in full. However, if an individual does not appear on any of their court dates, they will face penalties for their full bond amount.
Lancaster County bail bonds are other bail bonds that are available when a defendant cannot pay the full amount due to financial strain. For example, if a person is arrested for assault, and the judge sets their bail at $20,000 he or she may benefit from obtaining a bail bond if they do not have the money to post themselves.
This process enables a defendant to be released before their trial or court appearances.
Bail Bonds Process
Prior to the judge setting bail, the defendant can reach out to a bail bondsman. The bondsman will require either the defendant or family member to pay, typically ten percent of the bail amount. Once the bondsman has received the percentage amount, they will begin the process for the release of the defendant. The remainder of the bail amount will often be secured with collateral by the bondsman. This means that the defendant will have to sign a contract to forfeit their belongings in order to cover the remainder of their bail amount if they skip bail.
Additionally, if the defendant does not have enough personal belongings to secure their bond, the bondsman may ask their friends or family members for collateral. Once the bondsman has been given the fee and has come to an agreement on the collateral, they will post bail on the behalf of the defendant.