What Does A Bail Bond Agent Contract Include?

You get a call late at night and find your best friend on the other end of the call. Your friend is in jail and needs help getting out. If you do not have the cash to pay the bond, where can you turn? The simplest option is turning to a bail bond agent. You can hire a bail bond agent for assistance, but you must sign a contract with the agent. Before signing the contract, you will need to find out what it includes, and here are some things to expect.

Fees

The first thing to expect the contract to state is the fees involved with the transaction. Using a bail bond agent's services is more affordable than paying a cash bond, but it still requires money. You will have to pay a fee to use the services, and it might be anywhere from 10% to 15% of the bond amount. For example, suppose the cash bond is $5,000. The fee you must pay for the bail bond agent might be anywhere from $500 to $750.

When paying this fee, you must realize that this is a non-refundable cost of using a bail bond agent. You do not get the money back, even if your friend follows through with the other requirements.

Risks

The contract might also state the risks involved with the transaction. When you pay the fee to the agent, they will work with the jail on the release of your friend. Your friend must agree to many things when getting out of jail through bail, and they must follow through with these. The main risk the contract will state is the potential loss of more money. If your friend fails to follow through, you will owe the bail bond agent the full bail amount. If the bail was $5,000, you would owe this much money to the agent if your friend skips town.

Rules

Finally, the contract will state the rules in the deal. The first rule is that your friend must go to all the court hearings for the case. Secondly, your friend cannot leave the area. You might see many other rules in this contract, and you might want to ask questions if you do not understand how this agreement works.

If you have questions about bail contracts, ask a bail bond agent. An agent can answer your questions and help you get someone out of jail.