When breaking the law leads to an arrest, defendants may secure their pre-trial release through cash or surety bail bonds. A cash bond occurs when a defendant or a friend or relative present cash to pay the full amount of the bail fee. But what happens if you can’t afford the bail amount of a loved one; do they have no option but to remain behind bars unless you come up with the money?
This is where surety bonds – and a trusted bail bondsman – come into action. A surety bond, at it’s core, is a loan that you are given in order to fulfill a contract, in this case paying the bail of a friend or family member. Surety bonds require 3 parties: a surety company, a bail bondsman, and the individual who will post bail. Surety bond jail bonds often require the securer to pay only a fraction of the full bond amount up front. In North Carolina & Virginia, bail bondsmen typically charge between 10% and 15% of the total bond amount or ‘face amount.’
How Does A Surety Bond Work
In addition to being more affordable, a surety bond comes with less risk for the individual posting the bond on behalf of the defendant. Whether you are posting a cash bond or working with a highly rated bail bonds agent, there is always a risk that the defendant will miss their court hearing, forfeiting the bond. In the case of a cash bond, this means the friend or family member who posted the bond in full will not get their money back.
But when it comes to surety bonds, that risk is spread between the three parties involved – the poster, the bondsman, and the surety company. Ultimately, the surety company is responsible for the full payment of the bond to the courts. However, the bondsman could risk his business if the bond is not re-payed to the surety company. The poster – who pays only 10% to 15% on average towards the bail surety loan – assumes a much smaller risk.
Note that our team at Apex Bail Bonds can make the process faster because we do not need to contact any surety company before approving your bail surety. We handle everything in-house and ensure that your loved one does not spend an extra minute behind bars.
Surety Bail Bonds Financing
Has your loved one been arrested? Are you unable to come up with the amount demanded as your bail condition? Are you torn between paying for legal services and securing bail? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, contact us at Apex Bail Bonds.
Our surety bail bonds in NC are available to all defendants who have been granted bail. Our process is fast and simple, and we aim to reunite you with your loved one as quickly as possible.
