When a close friend or family member is arrested, you might wonder how you could possibly come up with the money for bail. In some cases, you might be at risk if you cosign for a bond, especially if you realize that the person who has been arrested might not show up for court. You could lose your assets or property if you are not careful.
A bail bond company will charge a state-regulated percentage of the total bail amount, in California the percentage is 10%. The money given to the bail bondsman is the premium for the bond and is considered fully earned upon the writing of the bail bond.
Please Note: There is no return of the bail premium regardless of the outcome of the case and any additional balance that remains is still owed.
The bail bonding company will in turn put up the entire bail amount in the form of a surety bond and if the defendant flees, or does not show up for court hearings, the full bail amount is owed by the bail bondsman. This means, that the indemnitor (guarantor) will be held 100% financially responsible.
It is crucial that you hire a reliable, trustworthy bail bondsman, and be aware of the individual who promises incredible deals well below the state-regulated percentage.
Please Note: It is not uncommon to come across an individual hanging out around the Burbank jail promising to bail out your loved one for much less than the law-regulated percentage. These individuals are breaking the law and should be reported to the Burbank police. It has been reported to us that the same individuals who are illegally soliciting bail are not even licensed and have been known to take the premium without completing the service.
Be sure to go through a background check of the company’s history. Only use a company that has a clean record and has been in business for more than a few years.
We recommend checking with independent agencies like the Better Business Bureau.
Laws regarding bonds vary from state to state. For example, the state of Florida only allows the bail bondsman to charge exactly 10% of the bail amount. Some states do not allow bounty hunters, which are hired to find missing defendants. Other states do not have bail bonds at all.
Residents of California have the right to a bail bond. While bail is not available in every case, most of the time, people in Burbank are able to use payment plans if they cannot afford the bond fee up-front.
