Like most businesses, some bail agencies are owned and operated by honest, hard-working, reputable professionals and some are not. Please protect yourself and your family by following these few simple consumer tips:
- Make sure that you only contract with a licensed bail agent. Request to see the bail agent’s license and identification prior to any bail transaction.
- Make sure that the bail agent charges you only legal rates. The premium charged for a bail bond in most states is normally 10% of the full bail amount. Additional charges should be categorized and explained to your satisfaction.
- Take receipts for all charges.
- Collect copies of all signed contracts and agreements.
- If you are concerned about working with a particular bail agency, do not enter into a bail bond agreement with them. There are plenty of qualified bail professionals available to assist you. We hope you choose us for all of your bail bond needs.
Quick Bail Instructions
You’ve just learned a friend or loved one is being held. Follow these steps to get him or her bailed out:
1. Get All The Information
- Be sure about which jail he or she is in.
- If you are not aware, then use our inmate information
- Is it a county, city, or federal facility?
- What is the booking number?
- What is the charge?
- Have the person’s full legal name.
- Try to determine the date of birth, if possible.
Try to find out how much the Bail amount is. Bail Bond Agencies are normally required by law to collect 10% of the Bail set as a Premium. You will have to pay this amount or arrange financing with us to assemble the funds. Cash, credit cards, and checks are just some of the ways in which we help our clients assemble the funds needed.
The Bail Bond Agency guarantees the full amount of the Bail to the Court as a guarantee that the person will appear. You may be required to guarantee that appearance by providing collateral for the entire bond amount. Therefore, try to know what collateral property you could provide (e.g. house, car, boat, or other property of value).
2. Call PEOPLE’S BAIL BONDS at 1.877.500.4999
The Bail Agent will ask you some basic questions relating to who, what, where, and why the person is in custody. The Agent will also ask you questions about the personal history of the person being held such as where they work, previous arrests, time in current residence.
3. Stay Home, Stay Calm, and Be Ready For Phone Calls
Go to your home or other place where you can stay for a while and receive telephone calls. We will probably need to contact you several times. Be sure you know the telephone number where you are staying. Try to have access to a fax machine or the number to one you can access (e.g. the local Kinko’s fax number, a friend who has a fax, etc.)
There is normally no need for you to go to the jail. In most jurisdictions, only a licensed Bail Bond Agent can post bail. Also, persons who have just been arrested and are being processed are usually not eligible to see visitors for several hours.
Try to remain Calm, we are working on your situation as fast as the law allows. People’s Bail Bonds will next call the facility where the person is being held and determine exact bail information and develop a plan to get the person released. A Bail Agent will call you as soon as this determination is made to discuss the plan and make Bail arrangements with you. Remember, many jurisdictions (especially those in major metropolitan areas) are very slow in processing and often have their telephone lines overloaded with calls…
BEWARE OF UNETHICAL PRACTICES
You, your friend, or a family member may need to post a bail bond in order to be released after being jailed for a Misdemeanor and/or a Felony charge. In order to bail out, you will need to either deposit the full amount of the “bail” in cash with the court, or use a bail bond agency to do it for you – Your choice of bail agencies is an important one, understanding the bail process is your first step.
Bail bonds are essentially insurance policies whereby the bail agency guarantees that the court will be paid the amount of the “bail” if the defendant fails to be present for his or her court appearances. Bail agents are personally responsible for the full amount of the bail bond so they typically require collateral to guarantee the defendant will appear.
This collateral is generally released and returned in full once the bond is “Exonerated” (meaning the court has released the bondsman from his responsibility and liability for the bond). The fee bail agencies charge for this process is usually 10% of the amount of the bond. For example, a $10,000 bail bond will cost you $1000. This 10% amount is determined and regulated by the Department of Insurance (D.O.I.)
Once bail is posted, timeliness of release depends on multiple factors, such as, the size of the jail, the location, the inmates booking status, the bail agents experience, etc. Once the case is resolved and/or the bond is exonerated by the court, the obligation to the bail agency is complete and final.
California has many bail agents, you will find many agents do not have the necessary and requisite experience, compassion and/or ethical respect. A recent tactic of “Low-life” solicitors/agents is trying to steer prospective clients away from ethical bail agents who conduct business professionally and legally.
These “solicitors” illegally solicit and on occasion discount or raise the bail bond premium amount which, by D.O.I. standards is ten percent (10%) of the bail amount,
as mentioned above.
This unlawful practice has been proliferating at the entrance of jails, police stations inside or outside courthouses.
Furthermore, the illegal solicitation and discounting of bail bonds by these “Low-life” solicitors is not only misleading but considered either a Misdemeanor or Felony under Section 1814 of the Insurance Code. The illegal solicitation of business speaks loudly about doing business with a Bail Agent whose first contact with a client facilitates a criminal act. In other words, BE CAREFUL !
As a client you should interview the Bail Bond Agent carefully. Some questions you should consider include:
Does the agent service your local jail/police station?
How quickly can they be there?
Do they offer payment plans?
What is their fee?
A reputable and professional bail agent will take the time to answer all of your questions, and be there for you or your loved one’s 100% of the time… all the time!
Please contact People’s Bail Bonds to receive expert information about the bail process.