A bail bond is an undertaking by a suspected criminal to appear in court or pay a predetermined amount of money. A bail bondsman co-signs the bail bond and pays the defendant a fee in exchange for ensuring the payment. Currently, the United States, as well as the Philippines, has a commercial bail bond system. As such, bail bond services are easy to find in the US, and mercer county bail bonds can be availed from a number of service providers. Other nations may impose limits and conditions on criminal defendants for their parole until their trial schedules.
How the amount of bail is fixed?
Bail bond amounts differ. It usually depends on the severity of the felony committed, as well as the region of jurisdiction it is imposed on. The court specifies the terms. Bail might be set at $500 for a criminal defendant with a nonviolent misdemeanor. Felony charges carry a hefty amount of bail, at $20,000 or more than that, not being unusual. Once the bail amount is determined, the defendant has the option of remaining in jail until the accusations are settled at trial, arranging for the bail bond, or paying the bail sum in its entirety until the case is concluded. The court may also accept property or other non-liquidated assets as collateral.
Bail bondsmen, often known as bail bond brokers, give a binding contract to the court system promising to pay the entire amount of bail if defendants whose presence they ensure do not show up for their sentencing dates.
The cost charged by bail bondsmen
Bail bondsmen usually charge 10 percent of the total value of the bond upfront and may also impose extra costs. Some states have imposed an 8 percent cap on the amount paid. The agent may also seek a creditworthiness statement or security in the form of real estate or assets from the defendant. Bail bondsmen often accept the most valuable goods, such as vehicles, jewels, and residences, as well as bonds and other securities.
The defendant is freed pending trial if a bail bond is provided.
