The Responsibilities of a Bail Bond Contract

The purpose of using a bail bondsman for a release from jail is to avoid two things: 1) paying the full bond amount, and 2) waiting in jail until the day of your initial court hearing. Bail bond services provide a safe and secure release from jail, but require a serious undertaking of responsibility for the co-signer. Regardless of what caused a person to be arrested, to get out of jail using bail bond services, one must sign a bail bond contract.

Continue reading to learn the details of a standard bail bond contract,
and the responsibilities that come with it.

Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600
Indiana Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Bail Bond Agreement

Also called a bail bond agreement, a bail bond contract legally binds an indemnitor (co-signer) to certain legal requirements. These requirements are mandatory, and if neglected, will lead to additional legal repercussions. Signing a bail bond contract means that you are accepting the terms and conditions of the agreement, which includes contractually agreeing to ensure the defendant appears for all scheduled court hearings, as well as, paying the bail bond premium. The bail bond premium is the non-refundable percentage of the full bail amount that a company charges for their services. Another requirement includes providing personal information on the defendant’s behalf, such as their home address and place of employment, and updating the bail bondsman on any changes as soon as they occur.

Breaching a Bail Bond Contract

If a person signs a bail bond contract, and the defendant fails to appear (FTA) for court or skips town, they are responsible for tracking down the defendant and ensuring they go to court, as well as, paying fines and any related fees for tracking down the defendant. This includes the full bond amount, but also, compensation for the bail bondsman in terms of long-distance calls, travel expenses, administrative time, attorney fees, additional court costs, and more. These fines and fees can add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

If you have co-signed for a bail bond, and you suspect that the person will not appear for court, contact your bail bondsman right away. Together you can make a plan so that you are not at risk of losing any collateral you put up, or any other consequences of violating the bail bond agreement.

Call Woods Bail Bonds of Indiana TODAY!

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to speak with an experienced Indianapolis bail bondsman for information about getting a loved one out of jail in Indiana. Owner, James Woods, offers bail bond services in most Indiana counties, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. We also offer free jail pick up and drop off services to and from our office, free jail contact information, free estimates, and more. Call 317-876-9600 for 24 hour bail bonds in Indianapolis, IN today.

The Consequences of Bail Jumping

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

If a person is arrested for a crime and then gets bailed out of jail, they are committing an entirely separate crime if they fail to appear for their scheduled court hearing. This crime is called “bail jumping”, but also referred to as “skipping” bail.

Although the laws surrounding this type of offense varies from state to state, any person who decides to jump bail will: 1) forfeit their bond, 2) face additional criminal charges, and 3) continue to face their previous pending charges.

It’s a Crime

Most states define bail jumping as the act of not appearing for a scheduled court appearance after being bailed out of jail for any crime, and then not surrendering to authorities in a set time frame. But some states consider bail jumping an offense for felony-related arrests only. In any circumstance, failing to appear for a scheduled court hearing is a crime, even if a person is innocent of the initial charges for arrest. Skipping bail is a crime all in itself.

Defense for Skipping Bail

Generally, it doesn’t matter what excuse a person has for missing their scheduled court hearing, they will be held accountable for the offense one way or another. The only valid excuse would be a documented hospital stay, or proof of an uncontrollable situation that prevented a defendant from showing (i.e. being kidnapped or held captive, natural disaster, trapped in an elevator, etc.). But these are unlikely cases, and courts know this. Being sick, or simply “forgetting” are not valid excuses for missing a court date, so if it happens to you it is important to act fast and ask your lawyer how to resolve the issue properly.

Woods Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds Marion County Indiana

Woods Bail Bonds Marion County Indiana 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to surrender to an arrest warrant in Indianapolis, IN. Owner, James Woods, is happy to answer your questions about co-signing for bail bonds, bail agreements, the bail bond process, and more. Whether you need to turn yourself in for an arrest warrant, or bail a friend out of jail, our licensed and insured bail bondsmen are here to help 24 hours a day a 7 days a week. Call 317-876-9600 for reputable Indianapolis bail bonds, today.

Do I Need Good Credit to Bail Someone Out of Jail?

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

Indianapolis Bail Bonds 317-876-9600

After someone is arrested for a crime, they are transported by police to the town’s county jail or local sheriff’s office to be booked. The booking process involves a series of steps, including a search and seizure of personal belongings, fingerprinting, mug shots, general identification data entry, and more. Depending on the amount of traffic and the efficiency of the jail staff, as well as a few other factors, the time it takes to complete the booking process varies from one hour to 12 or more hours.

However, once the booking process is done, a person can post their bond and obtain a release from jail if a bond was set for them.

Bail Options

At this point, a person can be bailed out of jail by paying the entire bond amount in cash, which will be refunded to them so long as they appear for all court hearings. But this is “road-less-traveled” since many people do not have thousands of dollars of cash on hand to temporarily surrender. So instead, many people choose to bail themselves out of jail with the help of a bail bondsman. This way, they only have to pay a small percentage of their total bond amount for a release
from jail.

Bail Bond Co-Signing and Credit

Poor or fair credit may or may not affect your ability to co-sign for a bail bond. It depends on the discretion of the bail bond agency. Generally, credit doesn’t play a major part in obtaining a bail bond. However, if a person has very poor or no credit, it could pose an issue for the bail bondsman. To legally co-sign for a bail bond, a person must be a U.S citizen, at least 18 years old, and have stable employment; and they must be able to provide proof of all these. If a person meet all of the above requires, plus has the money or property to pay for the bail bond, bad credit may not be a problem.

Woods Bail Bonds

Woods Bail Bonds Marion County Indiana

Woods Bail Bonds Marion County Indiana 317-876-9600

Call Woods Bail Bonds at 317-876-9600 to get out of jail in Marion County, Indiana. Owner, James Woods, and his a team of experienced professionals, truly care about getting people out of jail quickly and comfortably. And we work around the clock, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, to provide friendly and discreet bail bond services all throughout Indianapolis. We also offer free estimates, free jail information, and free rides to and from the jail and our offices. Call 317-876-9600 for Marion County bail bonds you can trust.