If your friend or loved one is arrested and needs bail, it might be left up to you to navigate the world of bail bonds, but most of us don’t deal with these things on a daily basis. Bail bonds can be confusing if you don’t have the experience that professional bondsmen do, and there are many misconceptions about bail bonds that can over-complicate the process. One misconception is that bail bonds and bail are the same thing. Understanding the difference between a bail bond and bail is paramount to understanding the process, so keep reading so you know how to get bail for your friend or loved one quickly and knowledgeably!
A bail bond is not the same as bail. Bail is an amount of money that an arrested person must pay in order to be released from jail, and this money is refunded back to him/her once he/she shows up for court. The theory is that the defendant will appear for court to get his/her money back. A bail bond is an option for those who cannot afford to pay the full bail amount. Bail bonds allow you to pay only a percentage (usually 10-20%) of the bail as a fee to the bondsman, who then posts the bail. This fee is nonrefundable, and since the bondsman loses money if the defendant fails to appear in court, he will also require some sort of collateral.
If your friend or loved one has been arrested in northern Indiana, call an A-1 Bail Bondsman in Elkhart for 24/7 bail bond service!
