When a person gets arrested for an alleged criminal offense, the most common advice an attorney can give is to obtain the services of a bail bondsman to obtain freedom. This freedom is temporary though as the defendant is only set free while their case is still in court. Like the cash bond Denver courts require from suspects, bail actually serves as a guarantee that the defendant will not flee or fail to appear in court for arraignment.
A bail amount can be forfeited in the court’s favor if the defendant fails to comply with the conditions of the bail. If the defendant cannot afford to pay the bail in cash they may apply for a bail bond with the help of a bail bondsman.
What is a Bail Bondsman?
A bail bondsman or bail bond agent is an individual licensed by state governments to post bail bonds on behalf of suspects who choose to post surety bond or bail bond instead of paying the bail amount in cash. The bail bond serves as the bail agency’s guarantee that the defendant will comply with the bail conditions, and this includes being present on all court dates. The bail bondsman earns their money from a percentage of the bail amount as compensation for their issuance of a bond.
A bail bond agent can work independently or as an employee or representative of a bail agency. They are in charge of the paperwork for the entire bonding process, receiving payment for the bail bond fees and tracking down suspects who fail to appear in court on scheduled hearing dates.
If you are wondering what the role of the bail bondsman is in the criminal justice system, here are their primary duties and responsibilities:
1. Evaluate Bond Applicants
The first step of the bail bond process is the bail bondsman’s assessment of the defendant or their representative. At this stage, the agent conducts an investigation of the defendant’s background whether he is a flight risk or if they are likely to appear in court. Additionally, the agent should also assess whether the suspect is capable of paying the bond fee as well as the financial consequences should he fail to appear in court on scheduled hearing dates.
The suspect’s compliance to all the bail conditions including attendance of court hearings enables the bondsman or their agency to recover their bond money when the case is concluded. The decision to grant or deny a suspect’s request for a surety bond is therefore based on the result of their assessment.
2. Completion of Paperwork
If a bail bond agency grants a defendant’s request for a bail bond, the bail bondsman will now accept the defendant’s payment and begin working on the complete paperwork and filing it with the court. The approved bail will trigger the defendant’s temporary release from jail and the responsibility of ensuring that they won’t flee or fail to attend court hearings lands on the bondsman.
3. Communicating with the Agency
Bail bond agents spend most of their time talking to clients, expediting bail bonds, and prospecting for possible clients. They are also required to communicate regularly with their agency to inform them of new prospects and the status of clients. More often than not, time is an important element in a bondsman’s job because most defendants want a speedy approval of their bail application. Bail Bondsmen are also required to submit reports and sales receipts to their office within 24 hours to retain their employment and collect their commission.
4. Apprehending Clients who Skip Bail
Bailbond agents are authorized by law to apprehend defendants who skip or jump bail. A suspect skips bail if he is released on bail but fails to appear in court to avoid prosecution or sentencing. This can result in the forfeiture of the suspect’s cash or bail bond and makes the bail bond agency liable for the full amount of bail. To prevent this from happening and to protect the financial interests of their agency, bail bond agents track down bail-jumping suspects and bring them back to jail or present them before the court to face charges.
Bail bond processing in jurisdictions like Denver follow the same steps, but some bondsmen are more qualified than others. If by a sudden twist of fate you happen to be arrested in Denver, you should employ a bail bonds company in Denver.
Call Lucero’s Bail Bonds anytime at (303) 573-5555 for the expeditious release of your loved one – from jail.
