All Things Bail Bonds

Defendant “A” has a bail of $30,000. They do not have that much money.

They contact a Bondsman. They pay the Bondsman $3,000 (10% of the total). In return, the Bondsman promises to pay the total amount if the Defendant fails to show for court.

If you skip out on the bail, the bondsman sends a Bounty Hunter after you so they don’t lose the $30,000.

They are like a bank.. But, the loans are in the form of bond.. They get 10% of the total bond.

The bailbondsman puts up 90% of the bail( his client usually 10% ). If his client decides not to show up for court, the bondsman hires a bounty hunter to find the client.

They’re one in the same. You post bond, which is generally 10% of the total bail. So if you have a $10,000 bail amount you’ll need to pay the bailbondsman $1,000. He flips the bill on the remaining amount and you are released to his custody. If you fail to show up to all your court appearances and become a fugitive he then needs to recover you and return you to jail in order to collect his money back. See if you could have posted the $10,000 yourself without the need for the bailbondsman then the court pays you back the money if you come back to court. That is what the bailbondsman is betting on, that you don’t run away. If you do though, you better expect some big dudes breaking down your door and taking you to back to jail.

Say you have been charged with a crime that has a $10,000 bond (or whatever amount). For whatever reason you can’t afford to pay, therefore you approach a bondsman.

The bondsman pays the court (or actually signs a contract stating he will pay if you abscond), and you are released. The bondsman charges you in the region of 10-20%, this is where he makes his money. Most bondsmen know that only a tiny portion of accused criminals go on the run, and therefore it is an easy $1000-2000 profit. the bondsmen can further protect his “investment” by having a co-signer on the bond (ie mum or dad) and have you offer collateral like a vehicle title.

If you go on the run, he bondsman uses a bounty hunter to find you. The bondsman pays the bounty hunter a portion of the bond (again usually between 10-20%).

Many bondsmen are happy to make (and lose) zero by paying the bounty hunter whatever the fee paid by the accused criminal.

In many cases the bondsman and bounty hunter are actually the same person.

Everyone covered the bail bondsman adequately, but didn’t cover the fact that some states do not allow bounty hunters.

In fact, my state has several bounty hunters from other states in prison right now for kidnapping.

Some states interpret the constitutional wording on extradition of fugitives from one state to the next as…If the state where the crimes occurred do not want to extradite the suspect when he is arrested by the police, he is free as long as he stays out of that state where the crime occurred.

If a Bounty Hunter grabs the “free” person and trys to take him to another state, he is committing the crime of kidnapping.

And some states just don’t want Bounty Hunters kicking down the wrong doors, terrorizing people other than the suspect, and committing other crimes.

If you combine the answers of everyone so far, you about have the whole picture. However, mccleary is just a bit off. Actually, there are I believe 6 states that currently do not allow bounty hunting. That’s because they do not have a private bail system. The bail system is regulated by the state and local courts. However, there are ways to legally get your guy, or gal, from one of those states. I have been doing it for years and it is simply a matter having all of your ducks ina row, being professional and asking the right person the right questions. Also, just because the originating jurisdiction does not want to extradite does not mean I can’t come get you. That would imply that a bounty hunter gets hia authority from that jurisdiction the first place and that is incorrect. A bounty hunters authority is based on a civil contract. A federal statute or two gives bail bondsmen or his agents (bounty hunters) the authority to enforce that contract in certain manners. Research Taylor vs. Taintor US Supreme court decision regarding a pearson on bail and his recovery should he abscond.

Below is a portion of that decision: Taylor v Taintor 1872 Supreme Court 83 US 366

When bail is given, the principal is regarded as delivered to the custody of his sureties. Their dominion is a continuance of the original imprisonment. Whenever they choose to do so, they may seize him and deliver him up in their discharge; and if that cannot be done at once, they may imprison him until it can be done. They may exercise their rights in person or by agent. They may pursue him into another State; may arrest him on the Sabbath; and, if necessary, may break and enter his house for that purpose. The seizure is not made by virtue of new process. None is needed. It is likened to the re-arrest by the sheriff of an escaping prisoner.