A bail bond agency is a company that posts bail for an accused criminal defendant who is unable to post that bail himself. The bail bond agency then enforces the bond, ensuring the individual appears in court. If the individual does not appear in court, the bail bondsman will attempt to find him and bring him to court in order to collect the bail bounty, or the monetary reward for bringing him back to court.
When a person is accused of a crime, there is a period of time after his arrest but before his trial in which each attorney prepares its case for the judge. During that period of time, the accused criminal may not wish to remain in jail pending the outcome of his trial. Since he is innocent until proven guilty within the United State's court system, the judge will sometimes let him out on bail. This means he is permitted to leave, but only if he posts some type of collateral — in the form of cash or assets — that help to assure the court he will return.
The amount of bail is set at the initial arraignment in which the charges against the defendant are read and in which the defendant tells the court whether he plans to plead guilty or not guilty. There are a number of factors considered when determining the appropriate amount of bail a person must pay to be released pending trial. The court will look at the seriousness of the crime and how much potential jail time the accused is facing. It will also consider how much money or assets the accused has, whether he has ties to the community, and whether he is considered a flight risk.
Bail can often be set at a high level. As such, many individuals cannot afford to post that bail themselves and they turn to a bail bond agency. The bail bond agency will charge a fee to secure bail for the individual. The bail bond agency will then make arrangements with the court for the accused defendant to be released.
If the defendant appears in court, then the bond is ended when the trial occurs. If the defendant does not appear, the bail bondsmen will track down the individual, who is referred to as a bail jumper. They will then bring him back to the state in which he is to stand trial.