All Things Bail Bonds

The bond is issued by a private company. They can charge whatever they want for their services. That company charges 20%. Unless that violates some law in your state (usuary, possibly) then it’s perfectly valid for them to set whatever rates they want.

If you don’t want their services, don’t pay them for their services.

The bail amount may have been lowered from the time the bondsman looked it up, and the time the offender was released. Go in and show him the release paperwork and get the $1000 back. Hopefully, you got something from him in writing to begin with that states his rate of 10%.

there is no law that sets what a bond company can charge (at least not in texas). bond companies are private businesses and can charge whatever they see fit. most bond companies charge 10-20% (with the average being 15%)…..and that does not include if they want to charge collatoral for a high-risk bond. the idea of 10% no matter what is a myth based on what people have seen on tv and in movies.

in my time as a bond agent, the most i ever charged was 17.5% for the bond and 100% collatoral (which on that particular bond was 1 house and 2 cars). if the defendant goes to court, they get the collat back.

They can charge what they want to charge,he may have charged the extra $1,000 because he feels the person is going to run and he will have to find them.

Well, you refuse to accept anyone’s answers, so I have no idea what to tell you. I don’t know whats in his head.

He said 10% that should be $1000. He wants $2000. Maybe he misquoted you. Or maybe the circumstances changed. Maybe he looked up the person is his bailing and decided that it’s not a great investment on his part, so he wants more money. Maybe he’s trying to screw you.

I know many bondsmen here in Missouri charge a minimum of $100. So if someone gets hooked on a driving while suspended ($300 bond). They are going to have to pay 30% if they want to use a bondsman.

I have no idea what California law says in this matter. Look it up. It should be easy to find on google.

Bottom line. You have four options.

1. Pay him $2000 to that bondsman and get the person out.
2. Come up the the $10,000 yourself and don’t use a bondsman
3. Go with a different company.
4. Leave the person in jail.

I think it depends on what state you’re in and which hick- a-billy is bonding. Here in NV, I’ve had friends that had to pay 15% and didn’t get the bail back. Around here, the Pub. Defenders are helping the legal system, and state in court that they surrender the bond money. This town’s last bail bond guy quit because people were getting arrested for b. s., and he couldn’t give the bail $$ back. He decided the police ethics were shady.

What does your receipt say. Sounds like you have been cheated out of $1000 bucks. Report him to the state consumer fraud division. Also report him to the Better Business Bureau and any professional organizations he is a member of. If you have an Action Line in your newspaper, call them. Make a lot of noise and you might get your money back. The typical % is 10, I’ve heard of them going down to get the business, but never up. You were over eager and he used this to take advantage of you. Always read before you sign and ask any questions before you sign. Once they have your money, they have no incentive to treat you fairly.

I think that the odds are that what happened is that when the bondsman accepted the premium, his information was that it was a $20,000 bail. He therefore charged the rate for that bond: $2,000. As it was, he wrote a bond for only $10,000. I think it is very likely that when you see him, and show him that his bond was only for $10,000, he will refund the additional, unearned, $1,000. If not, you should complain to the Insurance Commissioner.

you should have saved your money whatever you paid to get him out for was not worth your hard earned dollars. why isn’t the person you bailed out paying you back? the bondsman will keep your money when the scum you bailed out skips out on bail and you.