After being arrested for a crime, your loved one will be processed and then sent to the local jail. In some cases, they’ll have the opportunity to be released before their trial, typically through one of these three ways:
- Posting the full amount of bail in cash to the jail or court
- Calling local bail bonds companies and
- Using real estate as collateral
A lot of defendants may not be able to raise the entire amount of their bail, making them turn to bail bondsmen for help. With more than 15,000 bail bondsmen working nationwide, there is a bevy that a defendant can choose from. But what is a bail bondsman, anyway?
What Bail Bondsmen Do
A licensed bail bondsman in Charlotte, NC works for a professional bail bond company. When you contact them, they will work on your case to help bail out your incarcerated loved one. They will work closely with you to ensure that you can afford to pay for the bail bond.
You will have to pay the bail bondsman a premium, which is usually 10% of your loved one’s bail amount. For example, if your loved one’s bail amount is set at $10,000, you’ll have to pay the bail bondsman $1,000 that they will keep as profit. Don’t worry; the premium is generally paid off over an extended period, which your bail bondsman will schedule with you, depending on your financial capabilities.
The exchange of money happens after all the paperwork has been taken care of. As soon as you and the bail bondsman finalize the paperwork, it will be sent to the jail to be processed. Once the paperwork is processed by the jail and your bail bondsman has given the court the bail in the form of a surety bond, your loved one can be released.
After this, your bail bondsman will check on you to make sure that your payments are made on time and to ensure that your previously incarcerated loved one is showing up for court dates and is staying out of trouble. As long as your loved one is showing up for his or her court dates, you won’t have to pay an additional sum to the bail bondsman.
Information Your Bail Bondsman Needs
Before your bail bondsman can help you bail your loved one out of jail, they will first have to know exactly where your loved one is being held in custody, including the name and address of the jail. The next thing that they will need is your loved one’s name and booking number, which you can get from the jail in which they are detained.
The next thing you have to find out is the bail amount so that you can help the bail bondsman determine the price that you must pay to get your loved one out of jail.
A bail bondsman provides an affordable, needed service to the community. With their assistance, an incarcerated person can get out of jail, spend time with their loved ones and friends, and prepare their defense with an attorney. Bail bondsmen are there to help you and your loved one out of a tough situation.
