Life offers many complications, and there are times when these would lead you to come face to face with the law. Misunderstandings can escalate and lead to arrest; or even neglect to follow the statutes of a new law. As the adage goes, “the Law may be harsh, but it is the Law“ and this is why you need to have 24/7 bail bond service.
Arrests can take place in the wee hours of the morning as this is dependent on many factors. This is why there are already 24/7 bail bonds in Salt Lake City and most major cities.
The Role of a Bail Bondsman
Getting into the wrong side of the law is difficult. There are many instances wherein the innocent are arrested and wrongfully detained. The first thing that you need to consider is whether the charge against you would allow you to post bail.
Bail can give you temporary and conditional freedom from your trial, and the amount of bail is to be determined by the court based on the charges filed against you.
When you are allowed to post bail, it would be best to pay it as soon as you can. If you do not have the financial capacity to do that, you must get the services of a bail bondsman.
The bail bondsman, also called the bail agent, will pay the bail amount. You will then need to make an arrangement with the bail bondsman on how you will pay back the bail amount and the additional fee for his services.
Making Sure You are Dealing with a Legitimate Bail Bondsman
How can you be sure that the bail bondsman you are dealing with is legitimate? There are some indicators that you need to take note of.
First is the fee. There are regulations on how much a bail bondsman can charge for his services. The exact percentage varies but the standard is around 10% of the bail amount. There are some states that have pegged the amount at 8%. The range is flexible but anything above 15% can be considered an overcharge.
If the bail bondsman is overcharging, it is an instant red flag that he is probably not legitimate. The same can be said of bail bondsmen who are charging too little.
The unsolicited call, or cold call, can be a warning sign for a scam artist. If you receive calls offering bail bond services even before you reach out to any listed bail bondsmen in the area, the caller could be a scam artist or an illegitimate practitioner. In the first place, the fact that he was already aware of your circumstance even before you informed anyone is questionable.
A legitimate bail bondsman will receive their fee upfront. Therefore, he should no longer charge any interest in his client’s subsequent payments. If your bail bondsman charges interest even after he has received his fee, then this is not a common practice among legitimate bail bondsmen.
Getting charged for a crime is every citizen’s nightmare, but getting scammed by a fake bail bondsman is even worse. Watch out for red flags and ensure that you are dealing with a bona fide bail bondsman.
