"Bail bonds are a form of insurance, allowing people accused of a crime to be released from jail in exchange for an amount of money. A bail bond can be processed by a Surety Bondsman who takes full responsibility for the entire bail amount and guarantees the defendant’s appearance in court."
What are bail bonds? Bail bonds are a form of insurance securing the defendant’s appearance in court after they are released from jail. A surety bail bond is one form of pretrial release in which a defendant can obtain freedom by using a Surety Bail Bondsman or a bail bonds company, promising to follow conditions to remain free during their pretrial.
One of the most important forms of pretrial release in the criminal system is Surety Bail Bonds.
Surety bail bonds offer endless benefits to defendants, their families, and the criminal system.
The No. 1 question we often hear is, what are bail bonds? To simplify the answer, we have to explain bail and the law.
Bail Bonds System and Purpose
The bail system’s main purpose is to allow incarcerated individuals to get out of jail and remain free during the duration of the trial. This freedom can be obtained by paying bail on their own or by using the service of a bail bonds agent. When the latter occurs, simultaneously, the bond company assumes full liability for the bond amount with the courts. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the bonding company must pay the bond amount to the court.
The agency taking responsibility for someone out on bond is usually a licensed bail bonds company with the ability to process or post the bond on the defendant’s behalf for a small premium. It is highly unlikely for an incarcerated pretrial defendant to not receive a bail amount, except for those who may be deemed to be a serious threat to their communities.
To understand a bail bond, first, we must understand the concept of bail and bond.
What is Bail?
In some countries, especially the United States, bail usually implies a bail bond, a deposit of money, or some form of property to the court by the suspect in return for the release from pre-trial detention.
Definition.net says, “bail is the legal system that allows an accused person to be temporarily released from custody (usually on condition that a sum of money guarantees their appearance at trial)”.
Historic sources cite that bail was used to guarantee someone’s release from jail while the accused was awaiting trial as early as medieval times.
What is a Bond?
The bond is the contract the bondsman submits to the court promising to be fully responsible for the bail amount. A bond is usually referred to as one when a 3rd party agrees to be responsible for the debt of the defendant.
What Are Bail Bonds Services?
A bail bonds service is offered by Surety Bail Companies or Surety Agents and is usually available 24 hours a day. Bail Agents must be licensed and may be subject to local State regulation. The services bondsmen offer are not limited to bail bonds, often they are a great resource to navigate the criminal system and learn the ins and out of bail.
What’s the Cost of Bail Bonds?
The cost of bail bonds depends upon the bail amount set and the type of bond you are given. Common bail types include surety, non-surety, cash bail, free bail which is a promise to appear, and a 10% option.
When using a surety agent, bail only costs between 10 and 7% of the full bail amount. When bail fees are difficult to pay, local bonding companies offer affordable payment plans.
So, What is a Bail Bond? A Connecticut Bondsman’s Point of View
When asked about what are bail bonds? Most local bail agents agree with this concept. Bail bonds function as an agreement among the defendant, indemnitors or “Cosigners”, the courts, and the bail agency. When defendants post their bail bond with a surety bondsman, they gain their freedom back by paying a small fee. The bondsman collects the fee for the service provided and takes the full liability of the bond to the courts.
The breach of this agreement can significantly affect all parties. Bondsmen take major risks by trusting defendants will come back to court, and when they don’t, they hire fugitive recovery services to find them.
How Do Bail Bonds Work?
For this bail bonds agreement to happen, all parties must agree to their separate responsibilities.
- The defendant or person accused of a crime must have a set bail amount.
- A cosigner must sign and share responsibility with the courts or bail bonds company.
- A bail bonds company or bail agent must agree to bail the defendant out of jail, assuming liability for the full bail amount.
All things considered; bail bonds are not only subject to the constitution but to local state legislation. States’ bail laws differ from one another. Connecticut laws allow anyone over the age of eighteen to post bail. The state regulates bail fees, allowing individuals to have an equal opportunity to afford bail. Licensed agents can negotiate financing options following the state-mandated minimum down payments and the length of time to pay off the balance.
In Conclusion
Bail bonds are a form of surety or commercial bail that allows defendants to obtain their freedom while they attend court hearings in exchange for a small fee set by the state. Contrary to incarceration, surety bail bonds saves taxpayers thousands of dollars every day by keeping defendants monitored and securing their appearance in court. At the same time, by getting released on bond, they can continue working and providing for their families.
According to Drew Bloom, a surety bail agent for 26 years and former President of the Bail Association of Connecticut, “Nationally, Connecticut is considered to be “The Gold Standard” of Pretrial Release and Bail having some of the most options for obtaining freedom, the lowest failure to appear rates, the highest return on FTA warrants, lower recidivism and percentage of arrests resulting in pretrial incarceration”.
Interested in learning more about what are bail bonds and how they work? Visit our FAQs page and subscribe to our blog. If you have questions about what are bail bonds services in Connecticut, contact our nearest agent.
