Surety Bond
Posting bail is commonly done through the use of surety bonds except by individuals who have the full cash value available who have the option of posting a cash bond. A surety agreement occurs between a bondsman and a defendant and/or third party to have the bondsman post bail on their behalf. A surety agreement is contracted by an insurance company which backs a bail bonds agency to allow the bondsman to pay the full cash value up front taking their commission from the 10% paid by the surety. The defendant in return agrees to appear to all of their court dates.
What should I expect to pay when using surety bonds?
Bondsmen are strictly regulated and are obligated to charge the same percentage state wide. Typically this is 10% of the full bond value however in some exceptions this can be reduced to 8% if the defendant is eligible.
What are the benefits of using a surety agreement?
In some cases, although rare, the court can decide to keep the full amount paid instead of refunding this after a trial’s completion. In these instances the fees absorbed by the courts would be covered by the bondsman and their insurance agency instead of having to lose these funds personally.
