Know the responsibilities of a bail bond agent before becoming one

A surety indemnifier, or co-signer, is a person with serious legal responsibility. If your friend or loved one has just been arrested, take the time to consider all the responsibilities associated with being a co-signer before signing the legally binding contract to get him out of jail. You may be liable for hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars if you do not comply with all court orders and the terms of the lease. Read on to learn what these responsibilities entail and who to call for reliable bond information in your county.

Using a bond

Bail is the easiest and most affordable method to obtain a release from jail. But when faced with the decision to get a friend or loved one out of jail, it is a decision that you should never take lightly. This is because the legal liability attached to the bail bond is a serious undertaking, and whether or not you face the ramifications of those responsibilities all depends on the decisions of the person you are getting out of jail.

Although you only pay a fraction of the total cost of your loved one’s bond premium, the bond agent covers the remainder of the amount. So if your loved one’s bail amount was $ 10,000 and the bail agent charges a 10% fee, you will pay a non-refundable fee of $ 1000, while the surety pays the remaining $ 9,000 to the courts. . As long as the defendant appears at all scheduled court hearings and follows all court orders, the agent will recover his $ 9,000.

But if the defendant violates any condition of the bail agreement or court orders, the surety does not receive the money until he can bring the defendant to the judge’s bench. They only have a certain period of time to do this and are usually unsuccessful. If this happens, you are responsible for paying the guarantor the remaining $ 9,000 as stipulated in the contract. If you used collateral to purchase the bond, such as your car, boat, house, or other asset, you will have to lose that collateral.

Who to sign for

To avoid any liability issues, be sure to only sign by people you know closely and can trust. Do not consign someone if you have not known the person for more than a year, if they are unemployed, if they have a history of evading the law, if they have a criminal record, and if they are likely to commit more crimes or disobey execution orders.