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1. What happens after a person is arrested? The arresting law enforcement agency takes the defendant into custody a number of things can happen. Most commonly:
* The defendant is released. No charges filed. 2. What does a bail agent do? A bail agent is licensed to transact all aspects of bail required to have a defendant released from jail or court custody through the use of a surety bond. The agent is licensed by the state and is required to pass and exam, as well as a thorough background investigation. The law strictly prohibits any bail agent from giving legal advice. 3. Do I have to use a bail agent to get someone out of jail? What are my options? No, while most state have similar laws, you should call and discuss your situation with one of our trained underwriters. Some of the options available are:
* Pay the full cash bail directly to the court in the form of cash,
cashier's check or money order. 4. What happens after the defendant is released on bail? Three steps:
* Arraignment. The arraignment is usually the first court appearance.
It is a good idea to bring an attorney if he or she has one. The
defendant will be asked to enter a plea. 5. Do I need an attorney? In any criminal matter, the defendant should consult with a defense attorney regarding his or her rights. Many attorneys offer a free consultation. Your bail agent is not allowed to offer legal advice. 6. What about the public defender? At the first court appearance (arraignment), the defendant will be asked if he or she can afford an attorney. If the person says no, a public defender will be appointed before the hearing. 7. When is the court date? The appearance date may not have been available at the time you met with your bail agent. The defendant will be given appearance information upon release. If there are questions about a court date, please call 1-866-327-2663. 8. Will I get my money back? When you deposit the entire amount of the bail with the jail or court, you will receive the entire amount back after the bail is no longer required or is "exonerated". Sometimes the court will keep a portion of the money for fines or court costs, but in most cases your permission is required. If you use a bail bond, the money you paid as bail bond premium is nonrefundable. 9. What happen if the defendant is late for court or misses the court date? THIS SHOULD BE AVOIDED. The court may look upon the defendants failure to appear as a willful act. If this happens, the court may issue a warrant and the defendant may be subject to arrest! Under some conditions, we may be able to contact the court and "reassume" the liability of the bond. If you know that the defendant is going to be late or delayed for court, call the court immediately. If you can't find the telephone number, call us at 1-866-327-2663, and we may be able to help locating the number for you. 10. When collateral is required to guarantee the bond, how do I get it back? Most bonds through Acme require only a signature as collateral. If collateral is taken, a copy of the "exoneration" is required to notify us that you are no longer responsible for the bond. Once we receive the exoneration , we can return your collateral. 11. How long is a bond valid? The bond is generally good as long as the case last. However, the terms of the contract state that the bail bond premium is paid annually. This means that if the case longer than a year but less than two years, another payment of premium is due. 12. How is the bail "Premium" determined? Premium amounts are regulated by the Department of Insurance in most states. The premium for a bail bond is generally 10% of the bail amount set by the court. 13. Can the defendant leave the area? One of the benefits of posting bail is that the defendant is free to conduct his or her life as usual. Unless instructed by the court, the defendant is free to leave the area as long as he or she appears before the court as directed. 14. What happens if the person that I signed for does not appear in court? By acting as the "indemnitor", you have agreed to be financially liable for the full amount of the bail. If the court declares that the bond is forfeited due to nonappearance, you are obligated to pay the full amount of the bail bond. 15. What if I no longer want to guarantee the bond? Please contact our toll free number. Each situation is different and sometimes a clarification is all that is needed. Our agents and supervisors are trained to help with this or any other unforeseen situation. One answer could be to have the defendant call us to find out if he or she qualifies to be "self guaranteed". 16. Am I criminally liable if someone I sign for does not appear in court? No, your liability under our contract is strictly financial. 17. Should the defendant or indemnitor notify anyone of a move or job change? Yes, we must be able to contact all parties related to the bail contract at all times. 18. If the charges are dropped after the defendant is bail out, will we get the premium back? Usually not. If the charges were not dropped at the time of arrest the defendant would have remained in custody until their court appearance, at which time the cargoes were dropped. The bondsman does not make any judgment or determination of the alleged charges at the time of arrest. The bondsman is merely providing the service of obtaining the defendants release from custody, thus allowing the defendant to return to their home, family and work without interruption to their lives while awaiting their trial. The premium paid to the bail agency is a fee for providing that service. 19. Is the money we paid for the bond premium refundable if the charges or case is dropped? No. Acme provides the service of obtaining the release of your loved one from jail and guaranteeing that they will appear in court at the designated time and date. If the charges or case is dropped the bail bond becomes exonerated which completes the service. 20. How do I get to the jail? When should I go there? Our call center operators and underwriters are familiar with the location and release procedures for most jails. If you can't find the jail or court we can get you the address and directions. We can also let you know the approximate release time in case you want to meet your friend or family member upon their release. Home
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