Once a person is arrested, they are given a date to appear in court and a set amount of bail. If they cannot afford to pay the full amount they can arrange for a bail bondsman.

Bail Bondsmen are a third party that will act as a guarantee to the court that the defendant will attend their trial. What is a bail bond by golden boy is a surety ensuring a defendant’s appearance, backed by a premium and collateral for security.

Licensing

Becoming a bail bondsman requires a lot of research and work you will need to define your business goals, attend bondsman school (even if it isn’t required), pass an exam and provide references and background checks.

Bail Bondsmen charge a fee to guarantee the appearance of convicted defendants for their trial dates. These fees are usually 10% of the bond amount. If the defendant doesn’t show up, they become a fugitive and a warrant for their arrest is issued by the court.

Being a bail bondsman can be a rewarding career. You are able to directly impact the lives of people who have made mistakes and are in dire need of help. If you’re a people person, then this may be the right path for you! It also allows you to travel and interact with a variety of law enforcement officers, clients and other business partners these interactions can be emotional and intense, but they’re an important part of the job.

Training

After passing their licensing exam, Bondsmen undergo training to ensure they understand their job. This training includes a 20-hour course on topics such as laws, ethics and the rights of the accused.

When a person is arrested and the judge sets bail, that person or loved ones can contact a bail bondsman for help posting a bail bond. This helps them avoid having to pay the entire amount in cash to the court.

But there is a catch The bondsman will require collateral this can be a car, house, jewelry, stocks or other valuable property. The bondsman will also charge a fee, often 10-20% of the total bail amount.

If a person who has been bailed out of jail misses their court dates, they become fugitives and a warrant for their arrest is issued. To track fugitives, bondsmen employ a variety of techniques, including using their experience to surprise-enter the fugitive’s home. This can be a risky undertaking, but it can be an effective way to find and capture fugitives.

Bail Bonds

After a defendant is arrested, they must either pay the court in full and remain jailed until their trial or arrange for bail. Bail bond agents can typically have someone out of jail in two to four hours after they post a bond at the Central Receiving Facility downtown, Pierce said. They charge the defendant a non-refundable fee of 10% for their services and require that they sign over any property of value to help cover the cost of the bail amount, including houses, cars, jewelry and stocks.

In addition to requiring the collateral, bondsmen also must get an indemnity, who is usually a relative, to guarantee that the defendant will appear for all of their court dates. If the defendant does not, the bail bondsman must reimburse the court for the full bail amount and can sue the indemnity for any forfeited funds.

The bondsmen also employ bounty hunters to find and arrest fugitives who skip out on their bail. Bounty hunters receive a percentage of the bounty that they capture, and can sometimes use force to apprehend them.

Bounty Hunting

Bail bondman may hire bounty hunters, also known as fugitive recovery agents or bail enforcement officers. Bounty hunters receive a set percentage (typically 10%-25%) of the total value of the bail bond and are paid when they locate, track down and capture a fugitive. They also perform surveillance and interview subjects to identify suspects’ whereabouts.

If a defendant who has been bailed out of jail by a bail bondsman fails to appear for all court proceedings, he or she is considered a fugitive and a warrant is issued for their arrest. The bail bondsman who vouched for the defendant will then be responsible for paying back the court the full amount of the bail.

Bounty hunters may use a variety of techniques, including surveillance, to find and apprehend fugitives, though incidents of bounty hunting-related violence are common. They are typically licensed by the state in which they work and often carry weapons, such as firearms, or less lethal options like tasers or batons.