Dealing with a situation where a loved one or a friend needs bail to be released from jail can be confusing. Not sure where to even start looking for help?
Below is a helpful list of common terms related to bail bonds:
Arraignment:
A court proceeding where the defendant stands before the judge and is told what they have been charged with. The defendant states whether they want to plead guilty or not guilty.
Bail:
Money paid to release someone from jail. The amount varies as it is set by the judge. This acts as a financial motivation to return to court as required, or the bail money will not be returned.
Bail Bonds Agent/Agency:
A company or licensed person that provides bail money through a contract to help the defendant get out of jail. Bad Boyz Bail Bonds is a bail bonds agency, and we can help you with any questions or needs that you may have.
Bail Schedule:
A list of bail dollar amounts that can be set based on the specific type of crime.
Bond:
A bail bond is a contract between the defendant and the bail bond agent. There are two types of bonds:
Cash and Surety.
A cash bond is when the full amount of bail is paid in cash. That dollar amount is not released until the case is over.
A surety bond is when a percentage of bail is paid by an individual other than the defendant, or by a bail bond agent.
Bond Indemnitor:
The person that signed the bond contract and paid the money (or put up collateral) to bail the defendant out of jail.
Collateral:
Assets used as security against a bond. For example, if you don't have the cash to bail someone out of jail, you can put your car or home up as collateral. If the defendant doesn't appear in court, or they fail to comply with the conditions of their bail, those assets can be seized and sold by the court.
Conditions of Bail:
Rules imposed by the court while the defendant is out on bail. For example, they may not be able to contact certain people, or they need to refrain from drinking or drugs.
Defendant:
The person that has been accused of committing the crime.
Failure to Appear (FTA):
The defendant does not appear in court as required. This usually results in them being arrested again and taken to jail. This is also known as "bail jumping" or "skipping bail".
Felony:
A serious crime that generally results in serving time in prison. Often it is a violent or high property cost crime.
Misdemeanor:
A crime that normally does not involve prison time, but instead involves paying a fine.
Own Recognizance (ROR):
In some cases, the judge releases the defendant without having to pay any type of bail. The defendant simply "promises" to later return to court as required.
Premium Payments:
A non-refundable dollar amount that is charged for using the bond agency service. It is normally 10% of the bail amount set by the court.
Warrant:
A written order from the court that authorizes the arrest or search of a person.
Contact us at 225-229-7218 for any questions or bail advice. Bad Boyz Bail Bonds is available 24/7 to help.