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It’s not that simple to find a clear and concise explanation of the process involved in bail bonds. There are lots of publications with complicated terms and descriptions online that can probably confuse a curious reader the more. As a potential client, this post will help you understand the bail process before you decide to contact a bail bondsman in Overland Park.
When it comes to processing bail bonds, people rarely know what to expect until they or their loved one has been arrested. This is when the same questions about bail are asked such as
What does the bonding process entail? How to contact a bail bondsman? What are the associated
costs? And so on.
Who is a bail bondsman?
On suspicion of a crime, a person can be arrested and taken to jail by law enforcement agents for booking. Such a person will be fingerprinted after having a mug shot taken. Then a statement will be demanded. Unless released on bail, such people will be held in jail awaiting their day in court.
Popularly known as a bounty hunter, a bail bondsman in Overland Park is simply a bail provider. Many law offenders seek the services of bondsmen to provide bail bonds for them. From driving citations to capital murder, there is a wide variety of crimes defenders could be accused of. Bail bondsmen could act as surety or provide bail money for the accused person.
Why hire a bail agent?
Anyone who cannot afford bail may need to hire a bail agent. A bail bondsman in Overland Park is capable of taking on the responsibility of the full bail amount. However, a small fee may be required to be paid to the agent.
When contacting a bail agent in Overland Park, it is important to understand that certain information will be required such as
How is a person’s bail amount determined?
During a bail hearing, it is the responsibility of the judge to determine the bail amount. There are quite a number of factors the judge will have to consider before setting the bail amount, including the employment state of the defendant, their ties to the family or community, previous convictions, and the severity of the crime they are involved in.
Where to post the bond?
When it comes to posting bonds, there is no definite location to do so. Bail agents usually meet with their clients in the jail. In some cases, bail bondsmen may choose to visit their client at their homes to post the bond. If you are not in Overland Park as the defendant, the bail agent may choose to handle all paperwork and payments electronically or over the phone.
The bond will only be posted after any collateral has been signed over and the bail agent has received payment. A bondsman often requires 10 percent cash payment.
A family member or friend has been arrested. if this is happening for the first time, you might have no idea on what to do.
In Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita or Kansas City, the process is similar. Bail bonds companies follow the regulations set by the state justice system.
The bail bonds system resulted from the practice of common law. It is the posting of money of property for temporary release. The US and Philippines are the only countries that practice a modern version of it.
What happens after an arrest?
When an arrest has been made, the offender is taken to Overland County jail. The defendant, as the person will now be referred, will be charged to court and will be brought in front of a judge. The time between an arrest, the booking process, and appearance before a Judge may vary.
The judge sets the trial date and the bail amount. The bail amount is set depending on the severity of the crime. For a minor incident, the defendant may be released on their own recognizance.
When a person is released on their own recognizance they do not have to pay bail and are free to go home. They will still have to return to the court if a trial date had been set.
In a more severe instance, no bail might be harged. The defendant will not be released and will be
remanded in custody.
Individuals that are arrested before the weekend or before a holiday are likely to be remanded in jail till the end of the holiday since the courts do not work during weekends and holidays.
Bail has been set what next
When the defendant has been granted bail, they are left with three choices.
Kansas state insurance department law states that a bail bond company in Overland Park is allowed
to charge the defendant 10% of the bail amount. This means if the bail has been set at $20000, $2000 will be charged by the bonds. The 10% paid to the bondsman is nonrefundable. If the defendant chooses this option, the bondsman will be held responsible for the appearance of the defendant for
trial.
If the defendant is unable to come up with the bond charge, negotiation may be reached with the bondsman. The defendant may have to provide collateral or agree on a payment plan with the bail bond company in Overland Park.
What happens if a defendant doesn't make their court appearance?
In the event that the defendant is absent in court on the set date, the bail bondsman or company will have to produce the defendant or lose the bail that has been paid to the court.
The bail bondsman may have to locate and produce the defendant by himself. The bonds company may also decide to use the service of a bounty hunter. A bounty hunter charges a fee. They are usually individuals with law enforcement experience that can track and apprehend defaulters. Bounty hunters are outlawed in some states, like in Kansas, wherein which their services are legal.
At this point, the job of the bondsman has been concluded. Exempting unique scenarios, the defendant is not required to make any new payments to the bonds company.
You may need to be very careful when getting bail bonds in Overland Park. There are many bail bondsmen, but the quality of their services varies widely. When your loved one is in jail, his release will be the utmost on your mind and you might be desperate to sign any agreement for bail bonds in Overland Park - some bail bondsmen take advantage of the desperation.
You need to understand that the purpose of bail bonds in Overland Park goes beyond just securing the release of your loved one. The proceeding still continues. So, you need to consider the following tips when you are in need of a bail bondsman.
Is he licensed?
Before hiring any bail bondsman in Overland Park, you should confirm that he is licensed to work in Kansas. If he is not, he may not be able to secure your release. Unfortunately, unlicensed bail bondsmen are usually silent about this. You can either ask to see his license or check the directory of licensed bail bondsmen in Kansas.
Consider experience
Experience matters here. When it comes to getting a bail, it is not only about securing the release of your loved one, it is also about securing his release as soon as possible. In that kind of situation, every second counts. Even a delay of 24 hours feels like a delay of 1 week.
The more bail bondsmen render the service the more they get better at it. Only the experienced ones will be able to secure the bail of a defendant faster. Secondly, they may be acquainted with some of the officials in charge and may be able to fast-track the bail.
Payment flexibility
While every bail bondsman has preferred modes and plans of payment, these options may not be convenient for every client. Some of them are very flexible. They accept a payment plan that is convenient for a client. Some of them accept payment through credit card while some offer no collateral bonds. Some of them even go as far as providing financing. However, a good number of them are rigid.
Think of accessibility and availability
It does not end after securing the release of a defendant. The proceedings continue and you may need your bail bondsman to appear in court. Will he be accessible and available whenever you need him? This is very important as his failure to show up can lead to delay in the case or jeopardize your chances of winning your case.
Consider their reviews
Before hiring any of your prospective bail bondsmen, you need to do your due diligence on each of them. Check their reviews and select the one with the best reviews.
Involve your attorney
Some defendants got attorney referral from their bail bondsman while the reverse is the case for others. Their works are interrelated so they know themselves well. Every reliable bail bondsman knows several competent attorneys and attorneys also know bail bondsmen that offer quality service. Your attorney could refer you to a very good bail bondsman that has worked with him on several cases
Reasonable bond fees
You should also consider the fees. Although most of them charge 10 percent of the total bail amount, a few of them can charge a little lower if you have no criminal records. So, you should consider your bail bondsman’s charges before you sign the dotted line.
Before a trial begins in a court, an accused person (criminal suspect) may want to secure temporary release from custody by depositing a sum of money known as “bail.” Any bonding company in Overland Park would require a fee from an accused person who cannot pay himself. To this end, the percentage of the bail will be put up in form of a surety bond.
If you are looking to work in a bonding company in Overland Park as a bail bondsman, note that there are certain things you must know. First and foremost, you will be working as a representative of the agency. As a bail bond agent, you will have to
Work along with an accused person and complete bonding paperwork Accept every payment made as bail Track down suspects when they fail to appear in court
Bond Assessment
Assessing defendants’ or their representative’s qualifications for a bond is usually the first step in a bond process. In order to determine whether the suspect will appear in court or is a flight risk, you will have to investigate his background. It’s also your responsibility to assess the suspect’s ability to secure a temporary release from custody and cover the financial recourse should he fail to make himself available in court. If you are satisfied to know that the defendant will appear in court as at when due, then you can decide to provide the surety bond. In some cases, you may be required to participate in aggressive marketing and prospecting for potential clients for your bonding company in Overland Park.
Paperwork
Completing paperwork is the next thing to do. This has to do with accepting the payment of a fee from the defendant after arriving at a positive bond decision. To ensure formal execution of the bond, the paperwork will be filed with the court to precede the defendant’s release from jail. Referred to as “a power of attorney” the document signed by the client gives the bonding agency the right to represent the defendant in court.
Communication
As a bondsman, you are required to communicate regularly with your agency even while on the field searching for prospective new clients, arranging meetings with defendants and completing paperwork. Upon the discovery of a new prospect, agents are often contacted by agencies to handle such cases. Since most defendants often seek bail after agreeing to a set amount, time becomes of the essence. In order to retain employment and collect commission payments, agents are also required to work with time. Usually, they are required to submit sales receipts and paperwork within 24 hours.
Apprehension
As depicted in movies and televisions shows, most people tend to be more familiar with client apprehension than other responsibilities of a bail bond agent. The bond is intended to ensure the suspect’s appearance. A defendant typically owes bail once he fails to appear in court. Generally, an agent will go after any client that fails to appear in court to apprehend him to either bring him back to court or put him in jail.
The first thing most people would do when they find a friend, loved one or they themselves in trouble with the law is to contact a bail bond agency. However, hiring a reliable bail bondsman is one thing, but finding the desired freedom is more important. When it comes to securing jail release, the necessity of finding 24-hour bail bonds in Overland Park cannot be overemphasized.
Aside from possessing active warrants, these bail bond agencies are generally known to offer
Services that can clear warrants for defendants throughout Overland Park Efficient, effective and friendly 24-hour bail bond services credible solutions aimed at taking the anxiety and uncertainty out of the process
Only the right bail bond company can offer high quality and professional services. For those seeking superior, personalized bail bond services, it is recommended to opt for 24-hour bail bonds in Overland Park.
Benefits to enjoy
In case of any concerns or questions, many bail bonds agencies are available to be contacted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days including holidays. Seeking 24-hour bail bonds in Overland Park comes with lots of interesting benefits. Some of which include
Quick service
Most people prefer to work with an agency that will not only help their case but also provide prompt assistance when called upon. After all, there is no need to wait so long for you or your loved one to get out of jail. With the right bail bond company, you can get help as soon as possible and be rejoined with your family again. A call is all it takes to get the help you deserve.
Customer satisfaction
No doubt, a reliable and prompt bail bond company is capable of providing clients with everything they need. In order to fully meet clients’ expectation, such agencies are willing to go an extra mile to provide high-quality services and customer satisfaction. Under such circumstances, they are focused on making every one of their clients’ situation as simple and efficient as possible.
Experience
When it comes to handling bail-out processes, a high-level of experience is very essential. Apart from being responsible for legal bond, a professional bondsman should understand that things do happen and must be willing to assist clients with their bail process when contacted. Experience, no doubt, is needed in posting the bail bond without which freedom cannot be guaranteed.
Cost-effective
Many people would prefer to use a bail bondsman because they simply do not have all the monies (thousands of dollars) to give up for bail. Working with an efficient and prompt bondsman will surely help to take away the challenge of making huge payments away. Just so you know, these professionals have all the resources required to get the work done properly.
The importance of contacting 24-hour bail bonds in Overland Park cannot be overemphasized and as such, there is no need to feel ashamed. Besides, everyone is innocent until after proven guilty by the law.