| Bail bond clients have one goal: to get a | | | | how long it takes to bail someone out. For |
| friend or family member out of jail as | | | | instance, in Los Angeles County, small jails |
| quickly as possible. All bail bond agents | | | | may make take an hour or less to "process in" |
| understand a client's sense of urgency - even | | | | an inmate. But if the inmate isn't bailed |
| panic - and are happy to explain the process | | | | out or released quickly, he may be |
| and answer questions. But before they can | | | | transferred to the County jail, Twin Towers, |
| approve a bail bond, they need information | | | | (women are transferred to Century Station |
| about the client and about the person in | | | | Jail in Lynwood). |
| jail. | | | | |
| | | | Processing and release takes much longer at |
| Now, you may think the bail bond process is | | | | large facilities. Just the booking process |
| as simple as 123: | | | | can take 24 hours to complete - and it must |
| | | | be complete before the bail bond process |
| 1. Call a bail bondsman. | | | | begins. Then, release can take 10 - 12 hours |
| | | | after the bail bond amount has been delivered |
| 2. Pay a 10% fee for the bail bond. | | | | to the jailer. |
| | | | |
| 3. Get out of jail. | | | | Nobody wants to stay in jail any longer than |
| | | | they have to. Always contact a bail bondsman |
| There's a lot more to it than that. When a | | | | as quickly as possible to get the release |
| bail bond company "writes bail", the process | | | | paperwork started and your loved one released |
| is similar to getting a loan or insurance | | | | with a minimum of delay. |
| policy. The bondsman needs to assess the | | | | |
| likelihood that the defendant will return to | | | | "WHERE is the person being held?" |
| court and determine that the person bailing | | | | |
| them out is willing and able to make certain | | | | Don't panic when someone in jail calls and |
| that happens. | | | | asks for your help. Get as much information |
| | | | as you can about where they're being held and |
| The bail bond interview process helps the | | | | how long they've been there. Your bail agent |
| bail agent understand the client's situation | | | | needs to know who to contact to get bail |
| and work out a solution tailored to the | | | | information and start the bail release |
| individual. Bail bond agencies want to help, | | | | process. If you know the jurisdiction of |
| but also have to manage their risk. If they | | | | arrest or at least the county, a bail |
| write a bail bond contract for someone who | | | | bondsman should be able to help. |
| doesn't show up in court, then the bail | | | | |
| bondsman, and ultimately the client who | | | | Bail agents ask clients which jail the |
| signed the bail bond contract, is responsible | | | | individual is in because sometimes people |
| for the entire amount of the bail. Bail | | | | call just because they haven't seen a loved |
| agents ask a lot of questions for their own | | | | one after a long weekend and are assuming |
| protection as well as for the protection of | | | | they are in jail, which is rarely the case. |
| the client. | | | | Many counties offer online arrestee |
| | | | information and an Internet search may save |
| Because every case is different, there's no | | | | the time of finding and contacting a bail |
| standard checklist of questions. Even so, | | | | bond company. |
| most bail interviews generally follow the old | | | | |
| newspaper adage of "who, what, when, where, | | | | "HOW do you plan to pay for the bail bond?" |
| and how?" | | | | |
| | | | The fee for a bail bond in California is 10% |
| "WHO are you and WHAT is your relationship to | | | | of the full bail amount. There are numerous |
| the defendant?" | | | | ways to pay for a bail bond. Many clients |
| | | | use credit cards or cash. Although ability to |
| Most bail clients are acting on behalf of | | | | pay isn't the only determining factor in |
| family members, but bail agents also receive | | | | underwriting a bail bond, bail agents are |
| calls from clergy people, friends, and | | | | generally willing to write the bond in those |
| employers. | | | | cases where the client pays the full fee in a |
| | | | single payment. That's a substantial |
| Family members are usually the most motivated | | | | out-of-pocket financial commitment on the |
| to take care of the issue and make sure the | | | | client's part. |
| defendant appears in court, which is the | | | | |
| responsibility of the person signing a bail | | | | However, when a client offers a small down |
| bond contract. The defendant is likely to | | | | payment, say $500 on a $50,000 bail bond, the |
| appear because he or she doesn't want to let | | | | bail agent needs to determine stability and |
| a family member down. | | | | reliability simply because the risk is |
| | | | greater for the bail agency and smaller for |
| When a non-family member calls, bail agents | | | | the client. That's why a bail agent has more |
| spend more time asking questions and | | | | questions for clients who ask for payment |
| assessing the situation. The client has to | | | | plans. Homeowners, people with close family |
| clearly understand the responsibility he's | | | | in the community, and clients with a steady |
| assuming by signing the bail contract. The | | | | employment history are usually better risks. |
| bail bondsman wants to make sure that the | | | | |
| client and defendant have a close | | | | No single factor qualifies - or disqualifies |
| relationship. If someone with an established | | | | - someone. Bail agents look at the whole |
| relationship who knows and trusts the | | | | picture when making a decision. A perfect |
| defendant posts bail, the defendant will feel | | | | credit record isn't necessary. You don't have |
| obligated to his friend to appear in court. | | | | to be Donald Trump to qualify for a bail bond |
| | | | or a payment plan, but you do need to show |
| One indication of a close relationship is the | | | | that you pay bills on time and take |
| fact that the arrestee has called the person | | | | responsibility for your debts. People |
| for help arranging bail. Calling someone | | | | responsible enough to pay their bills can |
| from jail can be a pretty embarrassing | | | | better be trusted to monitor the defendant |
| conversation, and most people only call | | | | and make sure he or she appears in court as |
| someone they trust and know well. | | | | scheduled. |
| | | | |
| When a bail bond is not approved, it is not | | | | Why nobody asks "WHY." |
| likely decided strictly on the client's | | | | |
| relationship to the defendant. This is just | | | | The one question most bail bondsmen don't ask |
| one aspect of the risk assessment process. | | | | clients is "WHY is the person in jail?" |
| | | | They don't need to know the whole story; |
| "WHEN was the person arrested?" | | | | that's information for the attorney, judge |
| | | | and jury. The bail bondsman's part in the |
| When the person was arrested is significant | | | | process is to get the person released from |
| to the bondsman because people usually bail | | | | jail and make sure he will appear in court. |
| out of jail within a day or so. So if | | | | |
| defendant has been in jail for a week or a | | | | Because every situation is unique, bail |
| month, it leads to additional questions about | | | | agents learn to rely on experience and |
| why they haven't been bailed out earlier. The | | | | intuition when dealing with clients. Some |
| delay may be a sign of additional risk | | | | ask fewer questions; others ask more. But |
| factors, such as no one who knows the | | | | the agents never pass judgment on anyone's |
| defendant well enough to be willing to take | | | | guilt or innocence. Their only judgment call |
| responsibility or the defendant is a | | | | is whether the client and defendant take the |
| potential flight risk. | | | | process seriously enough to follow through on |
| | | | their promises and obligations. |
| Timing can also have a significant impact on | | | | |