Tag Archives: affordable fast bail bonds

Questions You Should Ask Your Chatham Bail Bondsman

When you hire a bail bondsman, you want to ensure that you are doing business with a responsible, reputable company. You want to ensure that you won’t be overcharged, and that when you pay your deposit — your bond will be posted promptly. You’ll also want to ensure that you can afford the fee, and understand the terms and conditions. In this blog, we will detail some important questions you may want to ask your bail bondsman. If you still have more inquiries, contact Affordable Bail Bonding for answers.

How Much Do They Charge?

There are plenty of choices out there when you’re deciding on a bail bondsman, so you want to make sure that you are getting a fair deal. The majority of bail bondsmen charge 10–15% of your bail as a charge for posting your bond. This is a non-refundable fee that you pay for rendering their services. If a bondsman quotes you on any percentage higher than this, you may want to shop around. 

Are They Licensed?

In order to operate, a bail bondsman must be licensed by the state. In order to gain this license, they must meet certain qualifications, go through training courses, and pass an examination. This is important because these steps are taken for your protection. It ensures that they are upholding the requirements set by the state, and that as long as you follow through with your end, there shouldn’t be any issues. When you ask a bondsman about their licensing it should be easy for them to answer you and show proof. If they give you any explanation other than proof of their license — find a different bondsman.

Do They Require a Cosigner?

Sometimes bail bondsmen do require a cosigner, and this typically depends on the details of the arrest. If they do, this is not necessarily a deal breaker, it’s just good information to know. In the event that the defendant does not show up for court, the cosigner is responsible for the full amount of the bond, so you want to be sure of the conditions before moving forward. 

What Types of Collateral Do They Accept?

On many occasions, collateral is not required when a bond is being posted for a common offense. However, when collateral is required, it is important to know what types your bail bondsman accepts. Types of collateral that may be accepted include: real property, vehicles in which you own the title, cash, credit cards, jewelry, and promissory notes. If collateral is going to be needed on your bond, you’ll want to know if they accept the type that you have to offer. If they don’t, another bondsman might, so inquire around. 

How Quickly Will I or My Loved One be Released?

After providing all of the needed information to your bondsman, how long will it take them to file it and earn the defendants release from jail? A more experienced bondsman may have an advantage here because they know the system well. In typical state cases, you should expect the defendant to be released in about an hour. The waiting time on a federal case can take much longer, seeing as the facilities are larger, and things tend to take a little longer in larger facilities. In these cases, you can expect release to take up to 10 hours.

Call Affordable Bail Bonding if You or a Loved One Needs a Bond Posted

Affordable bail bonding is a licensed, affordable (obviously it’s right in the name) option for you to post bail in Chatham. You can ask us as many questions as you like until you’re comfortable that we are your best choice for a bail bondsman. Contact Affordable Bail Bonding today!

South Boston Bail Bonds FAQs

The minutes, hours, and days following an untimely arrest can be emotionally draining. Whether you are the one who was arrested or it was a loved one who was detained, the bail bonds process can seem overwhelming and difficult to understand, especially if this is the first time you’ve had to navigate it. As your source of affordable, fast bail bonds in South Boston, Affordable Bail Bonding is here to answer all of your questions and help you or your loved one get out of jail fast. Check out a few frequently asked questions below and then give our experienced bondsmen a call to request bail.

Bail Bond FAQs

Who Determines the Bail Amount?

This is one of the most common questions that we receive. While other states may rely on a bail schedule — an outline of required bail amounts for specific offenses — to determine bail amounts, Virginia does not. Rather, a magistrate reviews all aspects of a case so that they can determine the amount of money required to secure your release from jail. This is typically done within a day or so of an individual being arrested and the defendant is informed of the bail amount during the bail hearing.

What Factors Are Considered?

There are many factors that a magistrate considers when setting bail. First and foremost, they will consider whether or not the defendant poses a risk to themselves or society. They will also consider whether the defendant is a flight risk. If the magistrate feels that either of these conditions are true, they may deny bail altogether. If it is determined that the defendant doesn’t pose a risk to society or themselves and they are not a flight risk, then the magistrate will review things like the defendant’s criminal history, the charges they face, their standing in the community, and other factors to set the bail amount.

What If I Can’t Afford Bail?

If you cannot afford to pay the full amount of bail, then you have a decision to make. You can stay in jail until you are released on your own recognizance or until your court date arrives, whichever comes first. The other option is to hire a South Boston bail bondsman who can post bail for you in exchange for a small payment. This payment is often 10% of the total bail amount and it is called a bail premium.

How Do Bail Bonds Work?

While no two situations are the same, the bail bonds process often takes the following course:

  • Step #1: An individual is arrested and booked into jail.
  • Step #2: The magistrate reviews the case to set the bail amount.
  • Step #3: The defendant requests the help of a bail bondsman to get out of jail.
  • Step #4: The bondsman gathers information to begin the bond application process.
  • Step #5: The defendant pays the bail bond premium.
  • Step #6: The bondsman pays the full bail amount to the courts for the defendant’s release.
  • Step #7: The defendant is released from jail.
  • Step #8: The defendant remains free until the charges are dropped or the case is resolved.

To best understand how the bail bond process applies to your individual situation, contact Affordable Bail Bonding to speak with a bondsman.

What Happens If I Miss My Court Date

One of the most important things to do if you have enlisted the help of a bail bond agent is to make sure that you attend all of your court dates. If you miss a court date for any reason, you could face additional charges and the judge can revoke your bail altogether, sending you back to jail until your final court date arrives. Additionally, you may face up to $2,500 in fines for missing your court date. Trust us when we say that it’s just not worth it to skip bail.

Affordable, Fast Bail Bonds in South Boston

Do you have questions about bail bonds that weren’t covered in today’s post? If so, Affordable Bail Bonding is here for you. Not only are we your go-to source for affordable, fast bail bonds in South Boston, but we are also here to help you throughout every step of the process. Our bail bonds process places our customers first — our number one priority is to get you or your loved one out of jail fast. Our fee is only 10% of the total bail amount and we are happy to make payment plan arrangements with you so that you don’t have to worry about a financial burden on top of everything else you have going on.

Ready to request bail in South Boston? Contact Affordable Bail Bonding right away.

South Boston Bail Bonds FAQs

The minutes, hours, and days following an untimely arrest can be emotionally draining. Whether you are the one who was arrested or it was a loved one who was detained, the bail bonds process can seem overwhelming and difficult to understand, especially if this is the first time you’ve had to navigate it. As your source of affordable, fast bail bonds in South Boston, Affordable Bail Bonding is here to answer all of your questions and help you or your loved one get out of jail fast. Check out a few frequently asked questions below and then give our experienced bondsmen a call to request bail.

Bail Bond FAQs

Who Determines the Bail Amount?

This is one of the most common questions that we receive. While other states may rely on a bail schedule — an outline of required bail amounts for specific offenses — to determine bail amounts, Virginia does not. Rather, a magistrate reviews all aspects of a case so that they can determine the amount of money required to secure your release from jail. This is typically done within a day or so of an individual being arrested and the defendant is informed of the bail amount during the bail hearing.

What Factors Are Considered?

There are many factors that a magistrate considers when setting bail. First and foremost, they will consider whether or not the defendant poses a risk to themselves or society. They will also consider whether the defendant is a flight risk. If the magistrate feels that either of these conditions are true, they may deny bail altogether. If it is determined that the defendant doesn’t pose a risk to society or themselves and they are not a flight risk, then the magistrate will review things like the defendant’s criminal history, the charges they face, their standing in the community, and other factors to set the bail amount.

What If I Can’t Afford Bail?

If you cannot afford to pay the full amount of bail, then you have a decision to make. You can stay in jail until you are released on your own recognizance or until your court date arrives, whichever comes first. The other option is to hire a South Boston bail bondsman who can post bail for you in exchange for a small payment. This payment is often 10% of the total bail amount and it is called a bail premium.

How Do Bail Bonds Work?

While no two situations are the same, the bail bonds process often takes the following course:

  • Step #1: An individual is arrested and booked into jail.
  • Step #2: The magistrate reviews the case to set the bail amount.
  • Step #3: The defendant requests the help of a bail bondsman to get out of jail.
  • Step #4: The bondsman gathers information to begin the bond application process.
  • Step #5: The defendant pays the bail bond premium.
  • Step #6: The bondsman pays the full bail amount to the courts for the defendant’s release.
  • Step #7: The defendant is released from jail.
  • Step #8: The defendant remains free until the charges are dropped or the case is resolved.

To best understand how the bail bond process applies to your individual situation, contact Affordable Bail Bonding to speak with a bondsman.

What Happens If I Miss My Court Date

One of the most important things to do if you have enlisted the help of a bail bond agent is to make sure that you attend all of your court dates. If you miss a court date for any reason, you could face additional charges and the judge can revoke your bail altogether, sending you back to jail until your final court date arrives. Additionally, you may face up to $2,500 in fines for missing your court date. Trust us when we say that it’s just not worth it to skip bail.

Affordable, Fast Bail Bonds in South Boston

Do you have questions about bail bonds that weren’t covered in today’s post? If so, Affordable Bail Bonding is here for you. Not only are we your go-to source for affordable, fast bail bonds in South Boston, but we are also here to help you throughout every step of the process. Our bail bonds process places our customers first — our number one priority is to get you or your loved one out of jail fast. Our fee is only 10% of the total bail amount and we are happy to make payment plan arrangements with you so that you don’t have to worry about a financial burden on top of everything else you have going on.

Ready to request bail in South Boston? Contact Affordable Bail Bonding right away.

5 Obligations After Signing a Bail Bonds Contract

Imagine this: it’s the middle of the night when you get a phone call from your son, daughter, or another family member. They tell you that they have been arrested and they need your help now. Your first instinct may be to help in any way that you can, including posting bail so they can get out of jail quickly. More often than not, this is the right thing to do, but not before you carefully consider your obligations after signing a bail bonds contract. Affordable Bail Bonding is your reliable source for affordable, fast bail bonds in South Boston and in today’s post, we’ll review your primary responsibilities as the person who posts bail for your loved one. Continue reading below to learn more.

Your Responsibilities When Posting Bail for a Loved One

Make Premium Payments On Time

In order for Affordable Bail Bonding to secure a bond to get your loved one out of jail, we collect a small portion of the total bail amount as our payment. This is referred to as the bail premium and it is typically 10% of the total bail amount. We know that not everyone can pay their full bail premium all at once, which is why we are happy to offer payment plans. If you decide to go this route, you must pay your premiums on time to avoid defaulting on the bail bond contract.

Encourage Them to Stay Out of Trouble

You want to do what you can to help them stay on the straight and narrow once your loved one is released on bail. If they had a job before they were arrested, encourage them to return to work as they normally would. If they had specific social obligations before their arrest, you want to encourage them to return to those. Staying out of trouble and being a productive member of society will bode well for your loved one when the court reviews their behavior after their release.

Make Sure They Attend Their Court Dates

This is one of the most important obligations that you have as someone who bails another person out of jail. Depending on the charges they are facing, your loved one will have one or more court dates that they are expected to attend. Missing any one of these court dates can cause big problems for your loved one’s case, including a bench warrant for their arrest, additional charges, and costly fines. Encourage your loved one to show up at their court dates no matter what.

Pay Applicable Fees If They Miss a Court Date

Your loved one isn’t the only one who faces repercussions if they miss one or more of their court dates. As the indemnitor, or the person who bailed them out of jail, you could also incur additional fees related to their absenteeism. This could include the cost of a recovery agent if the bail bondsman hires one to locate and detain your loved one so they can present themselves to the court. Most recovery agents charge between 5 and 10% of the total bail amount for their services, which can equate to a second bail premium payment for you.

Pay the Full Bail Amount If They Skip Bail

So, what happens if your loved one skips their court date and cannot be located by a recovery agent? In most instances, the indemnitor — that’s you — will be responsible for paying the court the full amount of bail that was originally set for your loved one. If you put up a car, jewelry, or any other tangible property as collateral, you stand to lose those items as the court lays claim to them to cover a portion of the bail. As you can see, posting bail for your loved one is a serious decision that should not be made lightly.

Need Affordable, Fast Bail Bonds in South Boston?

When your loved one calls you from jail asking for help, you want to do what you can to help them, but not at your own expense. Affordable Bail Bonding is here to help walk you through the bail bond process, answering any questions that you may have every step of the way. If you have concerns about whether or not your loved one will stay out of trouble and attend all of their court dates, it is in everyone’s best interest to be transparent about this. Contact us today to learn more about how our affordable, fast bail bonds work so that you can feel confident in your choice to post bail for your loved one.