What Are You Responsible for in the Bail Bond Process

You may have experienced this or know someone who has. The phone rings at 3 in the morning. The caller is informing you your son was in a car accident. He tells you that he took a breathalyzer and was declared drunk. He was at fault and there are injuries. This is the second time this has happened.

This is his second offence and bail has been set at $10,000. You call a bail bond agent to secure his release. You son is free for the time being but what are your responsibilities moving forward. After all, the ordeal isn’t over. In fact, it’s just begun.

What are your obligations and responsibilities as someone who signs a bail contract? 

First and foremost, you are responsible for making sure the defendant makes it to all court proceedings. You, along with the bail agency, are guaranteeing that the defendant makes all of his or her scheduled appearances.

If the defendant misses a court date, you may be responsible for any additional fees and or costs.  Sometimes it is excusable to miss a court date. The court is aware that circumstances do occur. Sickness, serious family matters and other emergencies can be valid reasons for missing a court date. However,if the bail agency must hire an agent to bring the defendant back, you may be responsible for those costs. Those costs can be significantly more than the original bail fee.

If the defendant cannot be found, you may be held responsible for the entire bail amount. If collateral was taken at the time the bond was written, it will be held until full payment is made or it can be used to defer the costs of the recovery process. 

A question that often comes up is “If it becomes apparent that the defendant is not going to go to court, can I get out of paying the bond?”. The answer is usually no. When you sign the bail contract you become the defendant’s indemnitor and are responsible for the entire bail amount and any additional fees, period.

Another common question is “The  State’s Attorney dropped the charges and dismissed the case. Can I get my premium back?” Absolutely not. Changes to the case don’t have any impact on the payment terms, and the case was probably dropped because the defendant was not incarcerated. Bailing someone out usually significantly improves the outcome.  At any rate, once the defendant is released from custody, the premium is always non-refundable.

When you sign a bail bond contract, you are entering into a binding agreement that can cost plenty if the defendant fails to appear.  Before taking the step of becoming an indemnitor, ask yourself some questions.

•        How much do you trust the person you’re bailing out?
•        How long and how well do you know them?
•        Are they close friends or family members?
•        Are they responsible enough to get themselves to court when required?
•        Are they employed?
•        How easy is it for them to move out of state?

Most of us are willing and happy to help friends or family out of a problem. But signing a bail bond contract is serious business with serious consequences. Think before signing the contract. There are no do overs. You must be right the first time. If you have questions about bail costs, the bail process or any bail related subject, call the experts at 3-D Bail Bonds. 

They are Connecticut’s leading Bail Bond agency with bail bondsmen available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They take customer service seriously and have many creative options that will make the process less stressful and affordable for you.