A bail agent will secure a defendant’s release by posting the full bond amount and make sure they are aware of all required court appearances. If a defendant fails to appear in court as scheduled, the bail agent is required to locate the defendant. The bail agent can either obtain a new court date or surrender the defendant back to the detention center.

The bail agent is required to know the whereabouts of the client at all times.

Bail Bondsmen are licensed agents regulated by state laws. In the state of North Carolina, a bail bond is a regulated fee that should never exceed 15% percent of the total unsecured bond amount. Bail bond rates for federal courts are also set at 15%. However, Immigration bonds are set at 20%.

Most jurisdictions have a set bail schedule used to determine the bail amount for certain types of charges. However, the judge has the discretion to reduce or increase the bail amount or deny bail altogether.

A secured bond requires tangible assets or collateral (property, vehicles, or stocks/bonds) while an unsecured bond relies on the defendant’s promise to pay. The risk in a secured bond is the potential loss of assets, while the risk in an unsecured bond is the financial obligation to pay the full bond amount if the defendant fails to appear in court until the case is disposed. Any collateral used to guarantee a bail bond is returned after the final case disposition and all bail bond premiums are satisfied.

Your bail payment is only a percentage of the full bail amount and is non-refundable. The bail agent pays the full amount to secure the defendants release but the full amount of the bond would be due if the defendant does not appear in court until the case has been disposed.

A defendant would need permission from their bail agent, in writing, before leaving. If the court has given specific instructions to remain in a certain jurisdiction, they would need permission from the bail agent and the court before leaving. Otherwise they could be subject to arrest.

If a defendant is arrested again while out on bond, the bond can be surrendered and your liability will be terminated. However, you would lose the premium that was paid for that bond. If the defendant is eligible for another bond, you would have to post two new bonds and pay the premiums for both bonds to secure their release.

As a co-signer on a bond, you agree to be financially responsible for the amount of the bond if the person on bond forfeits the bond by not showing up for court. The full face value of the bond would become your financial responsibility.