A bail bonds agent is a person who helps people who have been arrested pay the bail set by their court. It is their responsibility to help arrange the required amount of money in order so that they can be released from custody and return to family and friends while they await trial proceedings. Becoming a bail bonds agent is highly specialized and requires a great deal of experience and education to be of any real value to the industry. In most states, you must be licensed to carry out this important service for those in need.
This agent may also be called a bail bondsman or a bounty hunter and can work in various ways. Some work at a storefront office and others are mobile and travel from county to county to help people. They must be available when clients need them to get their loved ones out of jail. Here are the responsibilities of a bail bonds agent.
1. Assessing Defendant’s Qualifications
The first responsibility of a bail bonds Sacramento agent is to assess the defendant’s qualifications and determine what type of bail will be needed. Normally, you will have to pay a higher percentage (10-20%) of your bail if you are arrested for a serious crime. However, for lesser crimes, the bail can be lower. For example, shoplifting or traffic violations are likely in the 1-5% range. Once the bail amount is determined, then the agent must locate collateral that can be used to secure the bail amount.
2. Locating Collateral and Security
If you have been arrested and have to pay a certain amount of money to be released from jail, then there must be some way for you to get that money, or the defendant will remain behind bars for as long as their court case lasts, which could be months or even years. This is where the bail bondsman comes in. They will help you find a way to get the money you need within a certain timeframe and release you from custody. This could mean selling your car or other valuable property or taking out a loan for the required amount. It is their job to locate these sources of collateral and security.
Once the collateral has been determined, it must be placed in an escrow account with a bank and held there until the defendant pays back all their bail fees and court costs. Once all the requirements are met, the bail bond is released, and the defendant is returned to their family and friends. This employee is also responsible for visiting the defendant in jail daily to ensure they comply with their court hearings.
3. Processing of Paperwork
Another responsibility of a bail bonds agent is processing the paperwork involved with the defendant’s court case and bail. This can be very time-consuming and requires someone who can work on their own but at the same time be able to accept direction from a superior. The employee will also have to know various computer programs and how to type reports.
The paperwork normally includes:
– Receipts for everything the bail bondsman provides to the defendant and their family.
– Payment of bail fees and cost to the court system for keeping someone in jail for a certain amount of time.
– Court forms must be filled out with the information about each charge, scheduled arraignment date, release date, what type of bond was used, and where the court clerk is holding it.
4. Liability
This is a very important responsibility of a bail bonds agent. They must quickly identify if the defendant is following the rules of their court case and should be released from jail. If they are not, the defendant will remain incarcerated until their next hearing date. It is important that you have someone skilled at using this information so that they can either have your family member released or have them remanded back into custody without any problems or delays in getting it done.
The liability for a bail bondsman is typically limited to having the defendant’s assets seized and, therefore, can only be held responsible for damage that comes to the assets they hold as collateral. If a bail bond company fails to provide collateral or if they are unable to return it when the defendant pays back all of their fees, then they will be held liable for any loss.
5. Middleman Between the Agency and Defendant and even the Court
A bail bonds agent is required to be a bridge between the defendant and their family members, their legal counsel, the court system, and any other agencies that may get involved with the court case. These relationships must be maintained for the agent to do their job correctly. This can be a very complex situation that requires a great deal of tact and patience on behalf of the employee attempting to maintain all of these relationships.
As a middleman, a bail bonds agent must constantly communicate with their legal counsel and the other agencies that can affect their client’s release. The agent must identify how these relationships can fail, repair, and form new ones to keep your loved one out of jail.
As a bail bondsman, you are given a certain latitude inside the state’s court system. You are allowed to maneuver around some laws to accomplish your goals and protect your client from injury or prosecution. Usually, the agent is also allowed to bring a gun into the courthouse and other secure areas. You must be extra vigilant in these situations and be careful not to break any laws yourself. It is in your best interest to understand all the rules and regulations that apply to you so that you can accomplish your goals without putting yourself or others at risk.
6. Apprehending Clients who Skip Bail
As a bail bondsman, you may be required to search for and apprehend a defendant who has failed to make their court appearance or pay the bail that was posted. If you find them, they will be turned over to the criminal court system, where they will most likely be remanded back into custody until another hearing date.
When looking for your client, it is very important to identify where they last were seen. This can be challenging, especially if your client has been avoiding you or their family. It is very important that you have an excellent network of contacts within the criminal justice system who will provide you with any information that can help you find your client while they are still out on the run.
Conclusion
Bail bond agents are important members of society who help keep the peace. They help to reduce the number of criminal offenses that occur by helping to keep criminals in jail until it is their time for judgment in a court of law. They provide a valuable service for both defendants and victims alike and keep some order in the judicial system.
